


Unexpected Company

by Bourbonscars



Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-11
Updated: 2019-10-16
Packaged: 2019-10-26 08:07:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 37,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17742149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bourbonscars/pseuds/Bourbonscars
Summary: A few days away, unexpected company, confined quarters, and unexpressed feeling.





	1. A few days away, unexpected company, confined quarters, and unexpressed feeling.

Thermos in hand, he slipped his duffle bag over his shoulder and stepped out the front door, locking it as he left. He walked down the porch steps and paused when he saw the woman standing by the passenger side door of the truck. She was standing there in an army green heavy coat zipped up to her chin and the hood wasn’t up so the fake fur around the edge hugged her neck. She was wearing black jeans that were practically molded to her body and black winter boats with a tuff of the same fake fur at the ankles. Shaking his head he continued stopping a few steps from her and glancing down at the army duffle bag sitting on the ground by her feet.

“Going somewhere Jack?” Gibbs asked stepping around her, opening the small extended cab door and tossing his duffle in the back.

“Yes.” As she said it the army duffel was shoved under his arm and into the back seat next to his.

“This isn’t a vacation Jack.” He grabbed the duffel and tossed it back down at her feet as he closed the door.

“I know that.” She picked up the duffel and tossed it over her shoulder. 

His eyes narrowed as he stared at her. The only thing he’d told her was that he was going to be gone for a few days.

“You don’t take vacation.” Her stare never faltered. If he wanted a staring match he’d get one. “You take necessary excursions or specific days that are important, time taken off that has meaning or reason behind it.”

He squared his shoulders. She obviously understood so she should know he didn’t want company.

“Sometimes company is exactly what you need.” She mirrored his posture. “And I’m not just company…am a friend who knows when to stay out of the way, if necessary.”

“Not this time.”

She leaned her shoulder against the side of the truck. “I have almost as much vacation time as you.” She sighed. “I need a break and…” She shrugged. “Spending time with you, even in silence, is just what I need.”

He told himself to say no, leave her here and deal with any anger she had towards him after he got back. This was a necessary trip, one he took every year, and not one he ever wanted to share with anyone…especially her. She would complicate everything she already complicated his life in ways he still couldn’t bring himself to admit fully.

“We’ll be like Bonnie and Clyde without the robbing and killing.”

His eyebrow went up. Take away the robbing and killing and you only have one thing left.

“Okay not the best example but you understand what I mean.” Jack sighed. “Please Gibbs.”

Damn it. Why did he let her get to him? 

“Please Gibbs.” Her words were spoken softly but with a desperate longing.

If she were any other woman, her words would have had no effect, but it wasn’t any other woman it was her. Damn it. He said it to himself again. Opening the back door, he reached up and slid the duffel bag off her shoulder and tossed it inside. When he closed the door and looked back at her she was smiling, that warm, thank you smile that he’d come to know as completely heartfelt and breathtakingly beautiful. Without a word he walked around the truck and climbed in the driver’s side she was already in the passenger seat buckling her seat belt.

##########

A Monday midday and the traffic was almost none existent. The first hour was spent in silence, him with both hands on the wheel staring at the road, her with her head back looking straight ahead or glancing out the passenger window. He finally reached over for the thermos between them and he felt her hand touch his.

“I’ll get it.” She said grabbing the thermos, taking off the cup top she filled it a few inches from the top. Handing it to him, she watched as he took a few sips and went to set it in the cup holder, but she took it from him. Wrapping her hands around the warm cup, she inhaled the coffee then took a few sips. Keeping it in her hands she stared back out the passenger window.

“Cold?” He glanced over at her.

She shook her head and held the cup out to him.

He stared at her a moment then accepted.

“What?”

“Nothing.” He brought the cup to his lips and took a long sip. It was definitely something. They’d never shared a cup before and it intrigued him why she suddenly accepted it as common place. For him it always seemed an intimate exchange and with her even more so. He took another sip and licked his lips. He could taste her lipstick, something he’d always hated when sharing a drink with the ex-wives, but this tasted like lime and coconut. He vaguely remember the taste from once before. A night she’d been at the house and before she left she’d kiss just the corner of his lips before brushing her lips against his cheek. Now having tasted it completely he wanted more and wished he could taste it from the source. Clearing his throat he handed the cup back to her.

Refilling it, she again wrapped her hands tightly around the cup and stared out at the scenery.

Reaching over he turned the heat up a notch.

She turned her head and smiled over at him. “I’m fine really. I just like the warmth on my hands.” She inhaled the steam drifting up from the cup. “And the smell.”

He glanced over at her and chuckled.

“Here.” She held the cup out to him.

“I’m good.” He couldn’t take another taste of that lipstick it put to many thoughts in his head. Thoughts he’d been trying to control for longer than he cared to admit. It reminded him again of why this was a bad idea, why he shouldn’t have allowed her to come, and his grip on the steering wheel tightened. Glancing over, she took another sip of coffee closing her eyes then keeping it against her lips she inhaled deeply and smiled. He chuckled to himself. He never thought he’d meet someone that drank as much coffee as him, although normally she would saturated it with sugar to the point of almost obliterating the actually coffee taste all together. His brow furrow, actually now that he thought about it, she hadn’t used sugar the last few times she’d been at the house.

At some point the cup was passed back to him and he accepted. He was about to turn the cup a half turn to avoid the lipstick, but something inside him wouldn’t allow it. Instead he took a long swig downing half the cup and licking his lips to taste that lingering hint of lime and coconut. How could something he wasn’t exactly fond of taste so sweet? 

“I hate to be that person.” She smirked as he looked over at her. “But I have to pee.”

“Five miles, you good?”

“Good.”

At the five mile mark a small gas station appeared and he pulled in at the pumps. She jumped out and headed inside while an attendant emerged.

“Jethro good to see you.” 

“Hal. How you doing?”

“Good.” Hal said as he started pumping the gas as Gibbs made his way to him. “Business or-” He glanced towards the door of the station that Jack had just entered. “Pleasure.” He grinned at Gibbs.

“Neither and she’s a friend.”

“Wish I had friends that good looking.”

Gibbs chuckled. “She could kill you with her bare hands.”

“Ah another agent.” 

Both men turned as Jack emerged from the station and smiled as she approached, stopping next to Gibbs.

“Hal, Jack. Jack, Hal”

“Pleasure.” Jack nodded as Hal finished pumping the gas.

“Pleasures all mine.”

She looked at Gibbs. “Why does it not surprise me you know each other.”

“Jethro’s been coming here for decades, back and forth from Stillwater and places in between.” Hal explained. “He’s a good man.”

“Yes he is.” She added. “I left cash on the counter.” She pulled a lollipop from her coat pocket. “For a few of these. I didn’t even think they still made them.” She removed the wrapper on the yellow Charm lollipop and put it in her mouth.

“They do, the kids that stop love them.”

“I bet.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a red lollipop. “Even one for you.” She turned and held it up to Gibbs.

He rolled his eyes but took the lollipop and shoved it in his coat pocket.

Hal held back a laugh. Just a friend. “You need anything else Jethro?”

“Think we’re good Hal, thanks.” Gibbs pulled out his wallet, grabbed a few bills, and tucked them in the pocket of Hal’s overalls. “See you in a few days.” He said as he walked back to the driver’s side door.

“Have a nice visit.” Hal waited till the truck pulled away to walk back into the station. He walked behind the counter and looked at the twenty dollar bill lying on the counter top.   
“How many of those did she take?” The lollipops were two for a dollar; he didn’t even think he had twenty dollars’ worth on the shelf.

########

“I thought the lollipops were just a head game in your office.” Gibbs asked as they continued down the road.

“No, I like them.” She shrugged. “Oral fixation issues.”

He looked over at her and her eyebrow went up.

“You never noticed? Lollipops, pens, fingernails, ear piece on my glasses.”

Oh he’d noticed, just hearing her say it caused an array of erotic images to race through his mind. Shaking his head, the imaging fell away.

“We all have our vices or bad habits.” She leaned over slightly. “Even you, the mighty Gibbs.”

“Yeah.” He had more than she could even imagine.

“Enjoying Bourbon while you work on the boat is not a vice or a bad habit.”

“I have three ex-wives that would disagree with you.” Gibbs snickered.

“Well it becomes something else when you use that activity to ignore or avoid someone.”

“Is that what I was doing?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know, were you?”

He laughed. “Not going there.”

“You don’t talk about them.” She took another lick of the lollipop

“Nothing to talk about.”

“Three ex-wives? There’s something to talk about.” 

He glanced over at her then back at the road. Talking about his relationship failures was not something he liked to do, especially with her.

She pulled her leg up under her and turned slightly towards him in the seat. “After all the things you’ve told me, talking about the ex’s is what you consider the hard part?”

He swallowed the lump in his throat knowing exactly what she was referencing.

“Says a lot when you can tell me you killed a man, but can’t tell me about your ex-wives.”

“And what does that say?” Gibbs asked tightening his grip on the steering wheel.

“What fun is telling you?” She smirked.

“Is this how this trip is gonna go?”

“No.” The tone of his voice told her not to push. She put her leg back down, put the lollipop in her mouth and turned to stare out the window.

Taking a deep breath, he let it out. Her presence here had him completely discombobulated. The normal ease between them had been mediated by his underlying feeling. Something he promised himself he would never allow to happen, he cared about her too much to sacrifice their friendship. Yet here he was shutting down and shutting her out.   
“Hungry?”

It took a moment but she turned towards him. “I could eat.”

“There’s a restaurant in about fifteen miles.”

##########

The restaurant was a small mom and pop place, a few booths, a couple tables and a small counter area. Locals were sitting at the counter while family’s passing through sat in the booths talking about their trips. They had ended up at a two top table a few steps from the door leading to the kitchen. 

“I tried to tell him, I wasn’t interested, what other option did I have but the hose.” Jack laughed as she took the last bite of her pancakes.

“We can be clueless.” Gibbs chuckled referring to men in general.

“Yes you can.”

He was caught off guard by the seriousness of her response and the way she held his gaze. It was so intense it actually made him look away.

“But then so can women.” She smiled pushing her hair behind her ear. They had settled back into their normal banter, the ease of conversation between them flowing effortlessly over breakfast. She knew he had forced himself not to shut down and she was thankful for it. It relieved her in a small way of the trepidation she still felt over having insinuated herself into his trip. She knew he would be uneasy with her presence, would see it as her overstepping his boundaries, but her hope was eventually he’d be glad she was here.

“Gonna have them fill the thermos.” He grabbed the thermos from the table, stood up and headed to the counter.

Running her fingers through her hair, she blew out a breath then took a deep one in. She told herself she could do this that she wouldn’t let her resolve waver. Yet she already doubted everything. When she heard his laugh, she turned towards the sound. Gibbs was standing at the counter talking to the waitress that had served them. The woman was obviously flirting with him, her hand touched his as she handed him back the thermos. The waitress tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled at him as she said something that made him laugh again. Jack rolled her eyes. Of course the woman would have to be a red head. What was it about red heads? Originally she thought it was something Gibbs sought out or was attracted to, but it seemed more that red heads were attracted to him. Gibbs handed the waitress some cash and she made sure her fingers touched his again as she accepted it. She was about to give him change when he shook his head and again she smiled. Putting a hand on the counter she leaned forward as she spoke to him. Grabbing her jacket, Jack headed towards the counter.

Gibbs sensed her before she even reached his side. He always sensed her presence.

“You ready?” Jack asked touching his shoulder and letting her hand caress down his arm as she glanced at the waitress. 

His eyes met hers as the touch washed over him. “Yeah.” 

She turned and she felt the hand casually touch the small of her back sending welcomed warmth through her as they made their way to the door. She glanced over her shoulder and saw the disappointed stare of the waitress as they stepped outside. 

They reached the passenger door of the truck and he opened it for her, just as she was about to climb in he gently grabbed her upper arm. His blue eyes met brown. “I gave up red heads a long time ago.”

“Red heads haven’t given up on you.” 

His eyes narrowed at the nonchalant way she said the statement. Not a hint of jealousy, not a hint of worry, just a simple statement. She climbed into the passenger seat as his hand fell from her arm and he closed the door. Walking around to the driver’s side he climbed in and put the thermos on the seat between them. Starting the truck he pulled out turning back onto the back road they’d been following. 

“Is this the way you always take to Stillwater?” 

“Depends on how fast I want to get there.”

“Not in a hurry today?”

He shook his head. He hadn’t told her he was headed to Stillwater or the reason why, but it wasn’t exactly a hard deduction to make. 

“It’s a beautiful drive.” She watched the scenery pass by outside the passenger window. “Wish there was snow.”

“You never know.” If he could have willed the snow to fall he would have just to see her delight at the occurrence. 

“You’re a winter guy aren’t you?” She turned to him.

He shrugged. “Doesn’t bother me.”

“A cabin in the woods, fire going snowed in with no one able to get to you.” She smiled.

“Sounds good.”

“You booked a cabin didn’t you?” Her excitement bubbled just below the surface.

He chuckled.

“Oh come on tell me.” She grabbed his arm with both hands shaking it. He glared over at her. “That doesn’t work on me. So tell me.” When he didn’t answer she leaned closer. “Please. It’s a cabin right?” 

He nodded.

Her smile widened and her head fell back against the head rest. “It’s out in the middle of nowhere?”

“Corn fields and woods.”

She let her hands fall from his arm. “Please tell me there’s no TV, phone or internet.”

“None.” He didn’t take her for an off the grid kind of woman.

“Heaven.” She sighed trying to remember the last time she’d completely unplugged from it all. There was only one thing that would make it absolutely perfect, but she still wasn’t sure that would happen. “Do we have to stop and pick up supplies?”

“We’ll stop at the store when we get into town.”

“You’re dad’s old store?” 

“Yeah.”

“A glimpse into young Gibbs.” She smiled.

He rolled his eyes.

“Sure you’re up for dealing with the small town scuttlebutt?”

His brow furrowed.

“You show up with some strange woman getting supplies.”

He shrugged.

Her eyebrow went up. “Oh so I’m not the first strange woman you’ve shown up with?”

Taking a right, he took it faster than he needed to and she slid towards the passenger door. “Wow, you think that tactic is going to work with me?” She snickered as she settled back into the passenger seat. “Please. Who was she?”

He shook his head. “No one.”

“So I am the first?” There was no response. “Not even the ex’s?” She watched as he gave a half shake of his head. “I’m honored, even if it wasn’t exactly your ideal to bring me.” She saw his hand wrap tighter around the steering wheel. “I can wait in the truck if you want.”

He shook his head and cleared his throat. “Won’t make a difference.”

She pulled her leg up and turned to him. “I know you don’t care what people think of you.” Cocking her head she tried to get a read on what he was thinking. It suddenly hit her.   
“You’re worried about what people will think of me being there with you.” It wasn’t even a question, she knew that was it. “People ask your dad how you’re doing. He’s smart enough to not really talk about your job so he talks about the ex-wives.” She shook her head. “And yet another piece of the puzzle.” She laughed. “So do you think they’ll assume I’m just some fling or will they thing I’m the possible ex-wife number four?”

“Does it matter?” He actually stole a look at her.

Her brow knitted as she considered it. “I think I like the fling better.” His head jerked to the right and he stared at her. “I mean at least a fling could turn into more. I hate the thought of them already assuming I’m half way out the door before it’s even begun.” She glanced out the windshield then tipped her chin in that direction. “Red light.”

The words registered and he stomped on the breaks screeching to a stop just short of the red light.

“I can handle it.” She smiled.

“Didn’t doubt that.” The light turned green and he hit the gas. 

She caught the sign out of the corner of her eye. “We’re here.” They passed the Welcome to Stillwater sign and her attention shifted to the small houses. Making a left turn she saw   
the Main street sign and he pulled up outside a small store front.

Turning off the truck he looked at her. “Staying or coming?”

She grinned at him then opened the passenger door and hopped down. “I can just imagine you running up and down these streets, riding your bike-” 

He came around the truck as she continued.

“Chasing girls.” She put up her fists. “Fighting out back.”

“Did more fighting than chasing girls.” He walked to the door of the store and opened it holding it for her.

“Hi there.” The man behind the counter smiled. “Can I-” He saw the familiar face walk in behind the woman. “Gibbs.” The man stepped out from behind the counter.

“Cal.” The two men shook hands.

“Need the regular?” Cal stole a sideways glance at the woman walking down the far aisle of the store.

“Yeah.” Gibbs pulled a scrap of paper from his coat pocket and handed it to Cal. “We’ll grab the rest.” 

“Sure.” Cal grinned. “I’ll grab this.” He held up the paper. “From the back.”

Gibbs nodded grabbed a basket then headed in the direction of where Jack stood staring at something on a rack towards the back of the store. As he rounded the corner, he snickered when he saw her standing in front of a rack of magazines…adult magazines that had black plastic covers over everything except the magazine name and the face of the woman on the cover. “Didn’t think you’d go for these.”

The words spoken near her ear and the body so close behind her made her involuntarily take a step back almost touching the man behind her. She shrugged. “I was just surprised.” She turned around. 

His eyes questioned her.

“That it’s here.” She paused. “Small towns tend to have book stores with back rooms or a dark corner.”

“No book store.” He answered the question before she asked. “And it wasn’t here when I was growing up.”

“No peeking at the girly magazine or taking one back to your room?” She smiled.

“Not from here.” He smirked

“Oh.” She laughed. “But somewhere.”

He just looked at her.

“But your dad actually carried these before he passed?”

“Yeah.”

“Really?” She turned back around and looked at the rack of magazines. Pulling one of the magazine up from behind the plastic, she stared at it a moment. “Did your dad ever have the sex talk with you?” She slid the magazine back down into place.

“No.”

“Nothing?” She walked away from the rack and down the next aisle. “Not even a keep it in your pants.”

He chuckled following her down the aisle. “No.”

“Hmm.” She ran her fingers over a row of cans.

“I know that hmm.” 

She paused and looked at him. “Are you comfortable talking about sex?”

It took a moment for him to respond. “Depends.”

“On?” 

“The company.”

“Interesting.” She continued down the aisle. “So you’re the typical Neanderthal when it’s you and the guys.” She turned a corner and caught his eye from over top of the shelves. “And a perfect gentleman when the ladies are around.”

“No.” He turned the corner stopping next to her.

“So it’s the level or depth of the friendship and not the gender of the friend?”

He shrugged. “I guess.”

“Okay.” She continued down the aisle picking up a package of red licorice and opening it up. She spun around and he stopped just before running into her. “Was Shannon your first?” She pulled out a stick of licorice and bit off a piece.

He knew what she was doing, knew she was testing him, testing their friendship, their boundaries, and part of him wanted to ignore the question completely. Instead he reached into the bag and pulled out a stick of licorice. “Yeah.” He took a bite. When a wide smile spread across her face, he involuntarily smiled back at her.

“Lucky girl.” She took another bite.

“Not sure she’d agree.”

“Was it that awkward first time experience?” She started walking backwards down the aisle.

He followed her. “For me it was.”

Licorice stick was just about to enter her mouth and she stopped. “It wasn’t her first time?”

Gibbs shook his head.

“Did you know?”

He nodded.

“Was it your wedding night?”

“No.”

“Was the second time better?”

“Oh yeah.” He didn’t know why he continued, why he offered more but he did. “She was a good teacher.”

“Wow.” She put the licorice back in her mouth and took a bite.

He took a step towards her. “Did I ruin your cowboy image of me?” 

“No.” She sighed. “Not at all.” She didn’t think it was possible but the admission actually made him sexier. A man that was willing to take direction and learn…that is damn sexy. She had so many other questions.

He continued passed her picking up some items and dropping them into the basket. When he made the turn down the next aisle he glanced over the shelf and she was still standing in the same spot. “Jack.”

Hearing her name brought her out of her thoughts and she looked towards the sound of his voice.

“Grab some more licorice.”

“Sure.” Filing the rest of the questions in her mind she hurried back over to the aisle with the licorice and grabbed a couple bags with a couple items she wanted. When she met up   
with him he was already at the counter. She glanced at the items on the counter. “Hardly seems like enough.”

“It’s not.” He reached over the counter and grabbed a couple paper bags. “Rest is in the truck and we have another stop to make.” As he started to bag the items she leaned back against the counter and took in the whole store.

“I can just see you stocking shelves, helping little old ladies with their groceries-” She smile and leaned towards him. “Checking out all the cute girls that came in.”

“Hard to do that when your dad is at the counter watching you’re every move.”

“Ah right.” She picked up one of the bag as he pulled out his wallet and laid some money on the counter. 

Picking up the other bag, they headed out the door and to the truck. She glanced in the back seat and saw two bags and a few gallons of water. 

He opened the back door, put his bag in then took hers. Closing the door, he leaned against it. “Ready?”

“For?”

“Next stop, we can walk.”

She nodded. Following him back to the sidewalk in front of the store they started down the street. They had taken a few steps when she slipped her arm through his. 

He glanced over at her.

“Might as well give them something to talk about.”

He rolled his eyes.

She took in the countless empty store fronts they passed spotted by a few stores still open. When they finally stopped she looked up at the sign. “Oh so would have guessed.”  
Letting her arm slip from his, he opened the door for her.

The white haired man behind the butcher counter took in the woman first smiling widely. He wiped his hands on his apron then noticed the man behind her. “Jethro.” The name echoed through the empty store. “Though I might see you today or tomorrow.” He took off his apron, hanging it on a hook on the wall before walking out from behind the counter. 

“Come here.” The man hugged Gibbs. “Good to see you.”

“Paul.” Gibbs hugged the man back.

“And who is this lovely creature?” Paul asked stepping back and smiling at Jack.

“Jack.” She extended her hand. “Jack Sloane.”

Paul looked at Gibbs, eyebrow raised.

Gibbs shook his head.

“Come here.” Paul hugged the woman and she happily hugged him back. He smirked at Gibbs then focused back on Jack. “Please tell me you’re not dating this SOB or worse…married to him?”

She just smiled.

Paul wasn’t sure how to take the smile and his eyes danced back and forth between the two people. When neither of them answered he chuckled. “Right.” He slapped Gibbs’ shoulder. “So your usual times two?”

Gibbs nodded as he walked up to the counter and his eyes skimmed through the case before him.

“Just got in some fresh Trout this morning.” Paul said now behind the counter putting on his apron. “Have some frozen Elk in the back.”

“They extended Trout season?” Gibbs asked still looking at the case.

“Yep till the end of February.” Paul grabbed Gibbs’ regular from the case wrapping the cuts of meat as he went. “Want some?”

Gibbs nodded.

Paul smiled. “I’ll pick two nice one’s for you.” Placing the wrapped meat in a bag, he picked two of the Trout, wrapped them and added them to the bag. He put his arms on the top of the counter. “Jack short for Jacqueline?”

She nodded.

Paul chuckled. “What are the odds?” Picking up the bag and heading to the register. “How well you know this one?” He asked Jack.

“Well enough in some areas hardly know him in others.”

“Sounds like Jethro. A man of few words adds to the mystic.”

Gibbs ignored the comment as he grabbed his wallet.

“Let me.” Jack reached into her jacket pocket and when she looked up Gibbs and Paul were staring at her. “What?” She looked back and forth between the two men then settled on   
Gibbs. “Fine.” She put up her hands. “You handle it Cowboy.”

Paul snickered under his breath. “Cowboy.”

Gibbs glared at the man as he handed him the money. 

He handed Gibbs the bag then leaned forward speaking in a hushed tone. “She’s a keeper.” He stepped back and smiled at Jack. “Pleasure to meet you.”

“You too.” Jack quickly hurried after Gibbs who was already almost out the door. “You know I never really thought about that till now.”

“What?” Gibbs asked walking back towards the truck.

“Your dad being named Jack.”

Gibbs shrugged.

“Is it weird?” She walked beside him.

“What?”

“Our relationship, me going by Jack?”

“Should it be?”

“I don’t know. Some people might find it weird or odd.” She paused. “Like Paul said what are the odds.”

“Never thought about it.” They reached the truck and he opened the passenger side door for her.

“We form attachments to names as much as people and places.” She settled back against the open door frame. 

“I don’t think of my dad when I look at you.” He chuckled, his hand still on the door.

“Good to know, but I bet you still think masculine things about me. Hard headed, strong willed, whatever it is, because Jack is consider masculine by society. Plus you probably subconsciously believe I possess certain characteristics or traits similar to your father or other Jack’s you know.”

“Going somewhere with this Jack?”

“What if my name was Ann?” She watched as his demeanor changed instantly. He squared his shoulders, his eyes narrowed, and he physically tensed. She knew what she was giving away by asking the question. Seeing his reaction was exactly why she asked.

His gaze bore into her as he realized she knew the reason for the trip.

“Would it bother you?”

“Don’t know.” Gibbs hated the "what if" game.

“Never dated an Ann?”

He shook his head.

“Ever had an opportunity too?” When he didn’t answer even with just a gesture of his head she smiled. “And that’s part of my point.” She explained. “Names have power, more than even physical appearance or base attraction sometimes.” She shook her head. “I don’t care how attractive or amazing a man is I’ll never be able to date an Ethan again.” Her brown eyes searched his. “And I doubt you’d ever be comfortable dating a Shannon.”

His jaw tightened still not sure where she was trying to go with this.

“My point is.” She touched the zipper pull of his jacket. “You’re still making assumption or associating certain characteristics with me, some probably based on my name, my looks, my age, some on what you know about me, and some on what you think you know.” She sighed. “When the truth is somewhere in the middle.” She patted his chest then climbed up into the truck. “I don’t like fish just because I’m from California.” She buckled her seat belt. “Should have gone with the Elk.” She reached over to pull the door closed and he held it tightly.

“And you haven’t made assumption about me?”

“No I have.” She took a deep breath. “But I’m aware of it and I’m doing everything I can to fight those assumptions and to realize you’re more than just the cowboy that showed up in my life completely unexpectedly and made-” She stopped abruptly.

He gazed into the brown eyes, wanting desperately to hear the rest. “Finish it.”

The intense stare of the blue eyes almost made her complete her thought, but then she shook her head and gave him that closed mouth smile as she rubbed her hands together.   
“I’m getting cold. Close the door and get in here.” 

He hesitated a moment, but then closed the door and walked around the truck.

Taking a deep breath, she ran her hands through her hair and chastised herself for chickening out, yet again. To be honest, that was not how she wanted that conversation to go. She should know better by now that she couldn’t steer a conversation in a certain direction when he came to him.


	2. Unexpected Company

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few days away, unexpected company, confined quarters, and unexpressed feelings…what could possible happen.

The ten minute drive to the cabin had been spent in silence, but when the truck turned down an old dirt road and they were engulfed by leafless trees the tension faded as her excitement grew. 

“Seriously?” She looked over at him. 

He chuckled letting go of his own tension over the earlier conversation. The trees finally parted and they drove into a huge clearing. On the right was the small cabin, rustic, but well built. The porch ran from the front around the left side and had two wooden rockers by the front door with a small table between them. The right side and behind the cabin were surrounded by trees, but to the left were empty fields that disappeared into the horizon. Gibbs stopped the truck a few feet from the cabin and Jack was climbing out before he even turned it off.

She stepped out and took in the overwhelming scene before her. The land was sleeping, the fields having been tilled and the earth hard and barren from the winter cold. The fields created a huge checker pattern that she’d never noticed before, visible only because of the lack of growth. Her eyes were drawn upward and she was mesmerized by the colors before her. The sun had started to set making the sky a contrast in fire and ice. The moon eager to take over flooded the sky with its purplish-blue shadows as the sun set the horizon on fire with brilliant reddish-orange flames desperate to hold on to the day. “Amazing.” Jack whispered as she took it all in. 

“Something about sun sets in the Midwest.” Gibbs shook his head. “Nothing compares.”

She leaned back knowing he would be there having sensed him even before he spoke. Her back made contact with the solid form behind her and she felt the hand gently touch the fabric of her coat just above her hip. She let out a sigh, wishing for more but knowing this was the level of contact he was comfortable with.

“I need to get a fire started.” His hand left her hip and he felt the weight against him disappear. 

When she turned around he was already at the truck grabbing some bags. By the time he was walking into the cabin she was at the trucking picking up a couple bags to take in. When she stepped inside he was lighting the fire. She had stepped into the living room, off to the right was a kitchen area, and to the left was a wall of bookcases filled with books, pictures and a few trinkets. On the wall directly in front of her was a fireplace with a door on either side. She made her way into the kitchen putting the bags down next to the ones already on the counter. 

“This is great.” There was a couch in the center of the room facing the fire place a large coffee table in front of it, one chair a few feet from the couch facing the coffee table and another by the book case, each with a side table. “This place belong to a friend of yours or did you rent it from someone?”

“No.” Fire going, Gibbs headed back towards the front door and outside again. 

She wandered towards the book shelves looking at titles, until she came upon a framed picture. She picked it up and looked at it. It was of a father, probably in his mid-thirties, and a son maybe twelve. She knew it had to be a father and son because the similar features were undeniable, especially the eyes…the steely blue eyes. The front door opened and closed again and she looked at Gibbs. “This is your cabin?” 

“Yeah.” He dropped his duffel bag by the door and walked through the door to the right of the fire place. He put her bag at the foot of the bed and turned to walk back out. He stopped a few steps from the door when he saw her standing in the doorway holding the picture frame. “I was gonna tell you when we got here.”

“Right.” She looked at the picture then up at him. “You look so much like your dad.” 

“I know.” 

“Cute kid.” She cocked her head. “Eyes full of anger.”

“I was angry.” He didn’t hesitate to admit it.

“You had reason to be.” She looked around the bedroom her eyes landed on the bed. “Did you make the head board?”

His eyes narrowed surprised that she hadn’t pushed for more about his anger. Letting it go he nodded. 

“It’s beautiful.” Her gaze returned to him. “I’d offer to take the couch, but I know you wouldn’t let me.” She smiled. “You are a gentleman and that’s not an assumption.” Turning on her heels she walked away.

His head dropped back and he forced himself to take a deep breath. It was true he always tried to be a gentleman, but being a gentleman was getting harder and harder with her around. 

##########

When he finally emerged from the bedroom, she was putting the supplies away. 

“Hope you didn’t have a system for all this that I’m messing up.”

He shook his head.

“I just put the bag of meat in the fridge wasn’t sure your plans for all that.” She glanced over at the bottle of wine and Bourbon she’d placed on the counter next to the fridge. 

“Good choices.”

“Steaks?”

“I thought you’d never ask.” She groaned. “I’m starving.” 

Moving out of the way, she leaned against the far end of the counter. “If you want help just tell me what to do otherwise I’m staying out of the way.” He didn’t ask for her help instead just gathered the things he needed and made the steaks as if he were back at home in DC. She watched finally seeing the entire process from the beginning, including him soaking them in half a bottle of beer while he swigged the rest. Letting the steaks marinate for a moment, he leaned against the counter beside her and offered her the beer bottle.

She accepted taking a swig and handing it back to him. “Is it strange that I feel I know you better having seen the whole process of how you make steaks?”

He chuckled. “I don’t know you’re the Psychologist.”

“I really want to see how you make coffee.” She turned putting her hip against the counter and looking at him.

He took a swig from the beer bottle and turned mirroring her position, his blue eyes locked on hers. “You think you’re ready for that?”

The way he spoke the words, the tone of his voice, the slight hint of a deeper meaning sent a shiver down her spine. It was that same voice he’d used Christmas Eve that made her entire body flush with warmth. “I’ve been ready a long time.” The words came out easier than she imagined and her voice didn’t crack or quiver as she thought it would. She watched as the words and the connotation made his Adam’s apple bob up and down. 

The fire suddenly crackled and popped as if sensing he needed a distraction and offering it to him. “Steaks should go on.” He shoved the beer bottle into her hand and stepped away quickly. Picking up the bowl with the steaks, he hurried towards the fire place.

Downing the last of the beer, she stood there watching as he placed a rack over the fire and carefully placed the steaks. He stood there a moment then sat down in the chair by the couch. She chuckled to herself as he chose the safest place to sit. “Beer, Bourbon, wine.”

He shook his head.

She grabbed another bottle of beer and headed to the couch dropping down on the corner closest to the chair and curling her legs up. 

“Ethan?” He said the name as a question.

“Ethan.” She picked at the label of the beer bottle. 

“Don’t have to tell me.”

“No, I’ve been the one asking questions all day, you deserve a turn.” She stopped herself from picking at the label and finally spoke. “A youthful mistake is how I like to put it.”

“Your daughter’s father?” 

She glanced at Gibbs not surprised he’d put the pieces together, she probably would have been more surprised if he hadn’t. “Father would imply he gave a crap.” She took another swig from the bottle. “I was in love and he wanted another check mark on his score card.” She shrugged. “He denied the baby was his, yet offered to pay for the abortion. I told him to f-” She stopped herself from saying the word. “I told him where he could go and what he could do to himself and had the baby.” She paused and swallowed the emotion that threatened. “The adoption was in place two months after I found out I was pregnant.” 

Gibbs immediately regretted not having a drink as he licked at his dry lips. 

“Still makes me sick to my stomach every time I heard the name Ethan.”

And now it would always have the same effect on Gibbs, only wrapped up with a whole hell of a lot of anger. He stood up and went over and flipped the steaks, before he sat back down he stopped and place a kiss on the top of her head.

Her eyes closed as she felt the gentle touch. How could such a simple gesture from him ease the pain so quickly? When her eyes opened she looked over at him. “Any other questions?”

“No.” He shook his head regretting the first question.

“Oh come on. I promise I have happy answers to so many other questions.” She laughed.

He laughed with her thankful that her mood lightened. “Think we’re ready.” Back to the fireplace, he pulled the steaks off dropping them onto the plate and taking them to the kitchen. 

A few seconds later he handed her a plate with a knife and fork.

She was actually moved that instead of returning to the chair he sat down at the other end of the couch.

As they ate they talked, about the area, some of Gibbs’ childhood antics, and about the cabin.

“Your dad and LJ built it?”

Gibbs nodded. “I helped when I could.”

“It’s perfect and the location.” She shook her head. “You don’t own all the land.” 

“About an acre.” He took another fork full. “A guy made good on an IOU he owed my dad. He didn’t have cash, but he had the land.”

“Wow.” She took the last bite and sat the plate on the coffee table. 

“Bedroom should be warm by now.” He could tell she was tired. “I’d leave the door open part way, let the heat in.” He tipped his head towards the door to the left of the fireplace. “Bathrooms there. A shower if you want one.”

“Shower in the morning.” She stretched then stood up. “Right now I just want to curl up and sleep.”

“Night.” 

“Night Gibbs.” She reached the bedroom door and stopped. “And thanks for letting me come.”

He nodded. He watched as she flipped the light on and shut the door. Picking up her plate he took both of them in the kitchen and put them in the sink. Putting his hands on the counter he closed his eyes and took a slow deep breath. Over and over again trying to push down and cage the desire that coursed through him. 

“Gibbs.”

His eyes shot open. 

“You okay?” 

When he turned around the mask of calmness was firmly in place, but his eyes reacted involuntarily to her. She was wearing a camisole, the same color as the one she had on the day she showed him the scars and form fitting sweats, work out pants he wasn’t quite sure what they were. All he knew is they were skin tight showing every curve and muscle of her body sending endless erotic images racing through his mind. “Yeah, cleaning up.”

“I’ll leave the door open part way.”

He nodded. “Extra blankets are in the closet.”

“Thanks think I’ll be okay.” She smiled. “Night.”

“Night.” He waited as the door closed part way then let out the breath he’d been holding. Running his hands down his face, he decided the dishes could wait. Kicking off his shoes at the end of the couch he laid down and reached behind him turning the light out on the end table. Illuminated by the fire, it cast an orange haze over the room sending little rays of light towards the half open door. He glanced over half expecting her to walk back out from the sheer power of his thoughts. Shaking his head he stared back up at the ceiling. It was so much easier back home. The few times she had stayed at the house she’d stayed in the bedroom and Gibbs had put the upstairs, the downstairs and basement between them. Here the distance wasn’t enough. Plus without the boat to work on all he could do was lay her and think of her. He’d shorten the trip that was the only solution. He’d take care of what he needed to do tomorrow and they’d head home the next day. He couldn’t be stuck in this cabin with her for five days. He’d never make it, his control wouldn’t last. Problem solved, he’d condense everything into tomorrow and they’d leave early Wednesday morning and be back in DC by lunch. Then he could spend the next two days channeling the misplaced sexual tension into the boat.

##########

She laid there on her side staring at the half open bedroom door, the fire casting little rays of light just across the threshold. Her heart skipped a beat every time she hear the slightest noise, a crack of the fire, a creak of a board, anything made her hope that he was suddenly going to come through the door. A day of sexually charged banter, intense conversation, and physical closeness had left her agitated and completely on edge. It was her own fault, this is what she wanted, what she came for. She wanted to nudge him, see if the connection between them was more to him than friendship, she wanted to believe it was, but part of her was still unsure. She was good at reading people almost as good as he was, but Gibbs could be an enigma. Sometimes he was an open book and other times he held back hiding everything behind the mask. Add to that her feeling for him and that didn’t exactly make him an easy read when emotions were high.

There was something between them, had been almost from the first moment they met, this magnetic pull that drew them to each other in a way she’d never been drawn to anyone. She knew he felt it, accepted, but within the confines of his boundaries, boundaries he’d created decades ago to protect himself and the memories. Rolling onto her back she stared up at the ceiling. She was tired of the boundaries, frustrated by the mixed signals she constantly received from him, she wanted to know, needed to know, and damn it she deserved to know. She felt her stomach flip flop and groaned to herself. This is why she was sleeping alone in the bed…the lingering fear. The fear that maybe she was wrong and that friendship was all he wanted. She wasn’t afraid of the rejection, rejection she could accept, the deeper fear; the fear that ate away at her was the fear that she’d lose him completely. She rolled over on her side towards the window. Losing his friendship, the closeness they shared, it would devastate her and she wasn’t prepared for that. So it became this conundrum. Tell him and possible get everything she ever wanted or tell him and possible lose him.

##########

Rolling over, she inhaled and smiled as the scent of coffee lured her awake. Her eyes slowly opened and stared at the half opened door. She listened for movement but heard nothing. Throwing her legs over the side of the bed, she got up and grabbed a sweatshirt she’d brought with her. Slipping it on, she made her way out into the living room taking in the emptiness. She walked over towards the front door and looked out the window. The truck was still parked outside. That’s when she heard it, a slight crack or break. Padding over to the kitchen she looked out the window above the sink and smiled. Gibbs was out back cutting wood. She shook her head. “Cowboy.”

##########

Placing another piece of wood on the stump, he picked up the ax and swung it full force down breaking it in two. He’d been up most of the night, a few hours of sleep here and there, but he’d given up sleeping when the last erotic dream woke him up. Another piece of wood and he swung the ax. This at least gave him an outlet for the pent up energy. He had just placed another piece of wood when he caught the movement out of the corner of his eyes. Picking up the ax, he split the wood then tapped the blade of the ax into the stump. 

“Coffee for my cowboy.” She smiled as she handed him the cup.

“Thanks.” He took it downing half the cup feeling the warmth permeate his body, although he wasn’t sure if it was the coffee or her presence that actually warmed him. “Sleep well?”

She nodded as she shoved her hands in her coat pockets. “Need help?”

“Just about done.” Another long drink and he emptied the cup. Shoving the empty cup in his pocket, he started picking up the pieces of wood lying on the ground.

“Replace what you use right?” She asked as she picked up a few pieces.

“Yeah.” He started towards the wood pile and she followed. He placed the pieces then took the ones from her arms. “I need to do a few things today.”

“Great I can be ready in ten.”

“Alone.” He pulled off the work gloves and shoved them in his other pocket.

“I know why you make this trip every year.”

“I know.” He started walking back towards the cabin.

She was right behind him as he opened the door and walked in. “Why do you have to do it alone?”

He pulled off his jacket and hung it on a wall hook just inside the door. “Because that’s how I do it.” He pulled the mug out of his pocket.

“Well maybe it’s time for the ritual to change.” She removed her coat and hung it next to his.

“It’s not a ritual.”

“You do it every year, get the same supplies, gone the same amount of days, do the same thing at the same time at a grave site.” She pointed at him. “That’s the definition of ritual.”

“You’re not going.” He walked towards the kitchen mug in hand but paused when she didn’t bite back at his words. Turning around she was still standing just inside the door, arms across her chest. “What?”

She opened her mouth about to spew off about shutting her out, when she just stopped. Her arms fell from her chest and she shook her head. “Nothing.” She ran her hands through her hair and took a deep breath. Slipping off her boots, she headed towards the bedroom. “I’m going to grab some clothes and take a shower. If you’re not here when I get out I’ll know where you are.”

His grip on the mug tightened and he felt the urge to throw it across the room. Instead he walked to the sink and placed it down as gently as possible. Let her be angry, that’s what he told himself, but he couldn’t. He hated when she was angry with him and that was something he hadn’t experienced in decades. The ex-wives spent most of their marriages angry with him and he could have cared less. Yet here he stood wanting nothing more than to apologize. “Damn it.” He ran his hands through his hair. Taking a deep breath he went to the open bedroom door and walked in. “Why is this so imp-” 

She turned around at the sound of his voice, standing there in a camisole and panties. 

He swallowed hard as his eyes skimmed down her half naked body and then back up. When his eyes met hers he realized she’d made no move to cover herself or chastise him for just walking in.

“It’s important to me because it’s important to you.” She answered the unasked question. 

He managed to nod and keep his eyes locked on hers, when all he wanted to do was take in every inch of the newly exposed skin he was being given the chance to see.

“I know I said I’d stay out of the way if you wanted me to and I need to respect that option I gave you.” She paused. “But I’d like to be there for you, even if it’s just standing there next to you in silence.”

Silence. The word seemed to be a constant in their conversations. She was the first person in decades that understood that even in the silence there was a connection. So many people couldn’t accept silence, did everything possible to avoid it, but he embraced it and she embraced the silence with him. 

She took a step towards him and physically felt the tension emanate from his body like a wall between them. It stopped her in her tracks. “I’m going to take a shower. I’ll see you when you get back.” She grabbed the clothes she had laid out on the bed and walked passed him and out the door. 

He stood listening as the bathroom door closed and the water turned on then he waited a minute longer to make sure she was in the shower. Heading back to the kitchen, he filled the thermos with coffee and started another pot. That was all he needed. At the door he put on his coat, shoved his wallet in his back pocket and left the phone sitting on the desk by the door. His hand touched the door knob, turned it, and opened the door but when he went to step across the threshold something stopped him. His knuckles turned white as his grip on the door knob tightened. Clenching his jaw he stood there and shook his head. “Son of a bitch.”


	3. Unexpected Company

Opening the bathroom door, she emerged dressed in jeans, a brown long sleeve button up dress shirt button to the center of her breasts, and drying her hair with a towel. She tossed the towel over her shoulder when she saw the man sitting in the middle of the couch.

“You have five minutes.”

“Five minutes, you want me to go out in this cold with wet hair?” She held up the hair over her shoulder. “It takes at least ten min-.” He glared at her and she bit back a smile. 

“Are you coming or not?”

“Hat it is.” She hurried off to the bedroom came out hat in hand. “I’m good.”

Getting up he stopped at the door and grabbed her coat, holding it up for her. 

A Cheshire grin played across her lips. “A true cowboy even when you’re angry with me.” She slipped her arms in the sleeves and jumped when she felt the lips almost touch her ear.

“Annoyed, not angry.” Gibbs was about to step back when she spun around and grabbed the center of his jacket.

“What annoys you more, that you waited or that I got under your skin enough to make you wait?”

“You got under my skin a long time ago.” The words were spoken with a heaviness that the honesty of the statement made him feel.

She made a tsk, tsk noise. “Never admit to a woman she gets under your skin.” Her resolve was emboldened by his words. She let go of his jacket and patted his chest. “Good or bad, it gives her a power over you that you can’t take back.” She went to step back and he grabbed her wrist. Her heart sped up and her pulse quickened. She knew he could feel it, his fingers pressed against her wrist.

“Is that what you want?” Gibbs’ eyes narrowed as he stared into brown. “Power over me?” He waited for a response, when he received none he shrugged. “I’ve never had a problem giving a woman the power.” Letting go of her wrist he opened the door.

She walked out in a daze her body on fire from the depth of what his words implied. Her mind filled with endless images of them making love and her in completely control. She stopped as she reached the passenger door of the truck, suddenly being in a confined space with the man seemed like more than she could handle. Her body was already in a heightened state of arousal and she wanted nothing more than for him to give her a release. She heard the driver side door open and close and took a deep breath. Opening her door, she thought of everything that repulsed her as she climbed into the truck trying to banish the sexual thoughts from her mind. She no more than buckled her seat belt and the truck turned around and started down the pathway.

##########

They pulled into the cemetery about a half hour later, having made a stop at the local florist. Gibbs stepped out of the truck a small bunch of flowers in his hands. He started through the maze of head stones without a word. 

Jack stayed back standing in front of the truck watching as he finally stopped. 

Squatting down, he placed the flowers on the ground in front of the headstone and just looked at it a moment. Using his coat sleeve he wiped away the thin layer of frost over the name then touched the carved letters with his fingers. “Miss you.” Standing up, he stared at the headstone. A few seconds later the hairs on the back of his neck went up as he sensed the woman’s presence and she appeared beside him. 

She read the carved letters in the headstone. Ann Gibbs. The date of death was today. February 12 in 1964. The minute that Gibbs had told her he was taking a few days off she knew it had to be because of an important date. A quick check of his file had revealed his mother’s death and she knew that had to be where he was going. We all have rituals and perform them in our own way, this was his. She simply stood beside him content in the knowledge he had allowed her to be here.

Finally, he turned to her. “Let’s go.” He took a few steps away from the headstone.

“Wait, we’re done?”

He turned back around giving her a confused look. “Yeah.”

“What about-” She was about to speak the names then stopped when she saw his eyes narrow. “No.” She shook her head this was too important to her to let it go. “I want to see them and I’ll find them myself if I have to.” She started down the path between two rows of headstones glancing at each in front of her looking for the names. 

“Jack.” When she didn’t stop he started after her.

Her pace quickened as she scanned the names on the headstones.

“Damn it Jack stop.” He finally reached her grabbing her arm and spun her around, but the minute her eyes met his, he knew…it was too late. Her eyes landed on the first headstone then glanced at the one next to it. She looked back at him and his hand let go of her arm. His jaw clenched as the anger welled within him. He didn’t want to do this, he’d never brought anyone here, ever and he wasn’t ready for it now. 

She read the names and dates, stared at the marble pieces for a moment hoping seeing those, being here with them would give her the strength she needed. Walking up to him, she stood toe to toe with the man, put out her hand and stared directly into the angry blue eyes. “Take my hand.” She waited the anger still evident in the tightness of his jaw and the glare. “Take my hand.” She held her hand out closer to his refusing to be deterred by his glare. 

He didn’t know what made him do it, but he took her hand and she pulled him to stand in front of the two headstones. Just like that day in the lab, her fingers shifted from holding his hand to entwining their fingers. Her other hand wrapped around his arm and held him to her.

“So I wanted to meet you two.” Jack looked back and forth between the headstones that read Shannon Gibbs and Kelly Gibbs. “Although-” She tipped her head towards Gibbs. “He wasn’t really ready for that to happen, but not everything is up to him now is it?” She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. “I needed to say some things, so here it goes.” She took a deep breath. “I wanted you to know. I plan on taking care of him.” She felt the fingers tighten around hers. “Whether he likes it or not.” Pausing, she thought about the words she wanted to say. “I don’t know my exact place in his life yet, but whatever that place is I will take care of him with my whole heart and with all that I am…and I will always respect and appreciate the love he will always have for the two of you.” The tension drained from the arm she was holding on to. “Because I know you two made him the unbelievable man he is today and I could never thank you enough for that.” Biting back the emotions she continued. “And I am so blessed to be a part of his life, in whatever way he will allow, for as long as he’ll allow.” She cleared her throat and went to let go of his hand put he held it as if his life depended on it. 

He turned towards her, his blue eyes full of unshed tears. Pulling their joined hands to his chest, he kissed her forehead, the only reaction he could bring himself to have right then and there. Taking a step back, he met her brown eyes and wanted to speak, to say something, but he couldn’t find the words. 

She kissed his hand that was entwined with hers and shook her head telling him words weren’t necessary. Taking a step, she held his hand tightly as she led them towards the truck. Reaching the passenger door she tried again to let go of his hand, but he refused. She smiled at the emotion filled blue eyes. “I’ll gladly give it back to you once we’re in the truck.” The hand in hers finally loosened then completely let go. 

Opening the door for her, she climbed in and he closed it behind her. He didn’t remember anything after that, not getting in the truck or the drive back. The first think he remembered was walking into the cabin, taking off his coat, and hanging it up. Then helping her with her coat. 

“Gibbs.” She realized he was just standing there staring at her, his eyes full of an intensity she’d never seen before. “Hey.” She touched his arm. “You okay.” 

He grabbed her face with both hands, his lips captured hers desperately trying to express all the emotion coursing through him. Lime and coconut, the first taste of it from her lips was so sweet that he would forever know it as her. When his tongue licked at the center of her lips, the lips parted and he explored her mouth, her teeth, and her tongue. He wanted to taste every minute piece of her, memorize everything about her kiss; how she surrendered to his demands, his explorations, giving him the freedom to know everything. God it was everything he imagined and so much more. When he finally released her they were both gasping for breath. His hands caressed down her arms. “You deserve better.” 

“You’re the best man I’ve ever known.” She touched his cheek as she finally confessed everything she’d been denying. “And I deserve the man I love…I love you Gibbs.”

He had no reason to doubt her words, yet he did. It seemed unfathomable that she could love him as deeply as her words at the graveside implied.

Her lips brushed against his. “With all my heart.” She felt the arms around her body and instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. 

Turning around he shoved her onto the desk by the door, her back making contact with the wall behind her as his head dipped down kissing the spot between her breasts where her shirt was open. It was his first real taste of her skin and his body instantly craved more. Kissing and nibbling his way up her chest to her throat his hands clawed up her rib cage. Her head went back and cocked slightly to the right baring her throat and neck to him. He growled at her blatant show of surrender and attacked her neck and throat with an animalistic fever. 

Her eyes closed as the gentle nibbles turned to hungry bites, his teeth gnawing at her unmarred flesh until his lips brushed across her jugular and he bit down hard. Her mouth fell open letting out a whimpered plea of acceptance as her hand combed through the hair on the back of his head.

The sound she made, the unbelievable sound between pleasure and pain only fueled his desire as he bit down harder savoring the taste of the raging pulse against his teeth and lips. When she whimpered again, he moved a few inches upward and bit down against and she let out a moan fisting her hand into his hair. He wasn’t the type of man to normally leave marks, but her acceptance made him want to mark every inch of her body and soul as his. He clutched at the sides of her body as he moved further up her neck to her chin and back to her lips. 

When his lips touched hers, her other hand clutched as the side of his neck taking control of the kiss. She demanded her own exploration savoring the softness of his lips against hers then nipping and licking at his bottom lip drawing out a needy moan from the man. Her tongue forced its way across his lips instantly assaulted by the taste of coffee and it had never tasted so delicious. 

His hands caressed up her to her breast his thumbs rubbing across her hard nipples and making her rip their lips apart as she moaned. Face to face, her brown eyes met his and she gasped as his hands grabbed the middle of her blouse and ripped it open sending buttons clinking down onto the hardwood floor. His eyes skimmed down her upper body taking in the lacing tan bra and her exposed chest and stomach. He shook his head…God she was beautiful. Her chest heaving, stomach taunt with anticipation of his next touch, back slightly arched, and her eyes filled with an intoxicating mixture of love and lust. 

Her eyes closed as his calloused hands caressed up her stomach raising goose bumps on her skin. When his head dipped down and he sucked at her nipple through the thin fabric of her bra her body shivered. His fingers touched the clasp at the center of her bra and popped it free, the fabric parting slightly, but still clinging to her breasts. Placing his lips between her breasts he kissed the newly exposed skin enjoying even the small piece of her revealed to him. His hands moved to caress the small of her back but he was suddenly forced to stop when she slid backwards slightly putting her back flat against the wall behind her. Letting his hands caress down the sides of her body, he clutched at her hips as he pulled his head back.

Her eyes opened and she was staring into blue eyes filled with a look of confusion and fear. “What’s wrong?”

He searched the brown eyes and realized she truly had no idea what had made him stop. Seemed his own fears weren’t the only issue.

“Hey.” Her hand touched his cheek. “Talk to me.”

“I love you.” 

She felt the words seep into every pour of her body and lodge deep within her heart. The words moved her, elated her, because she knew the kind of man he was and what the words meant to him. Yet she knew by the look in his eyes that there was more. “And?”

“It scares the hell out of me.” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “It’s been a long time since I loved someone.”

“Me too.” Her thumb brushed over his lips. “But you’re worth the risk.”

“You’re worth the risk.” And she was, for the first time he actually believed that. The risk that he associated with love had always held him back. He’d lost so much before that the fear of losing it again terrified him. Yet with her, he understood it was worth it, and holding back was no longer an option…but he wasn’t sure she understood that she was holding back as well.

“Tell me the rest.” Yet again his eyes gave him away and she could see the concern still lingering in the steely blues.

His hands clutched her hips tighter and he jerked her forward, crushing her upper body against his. Her body tensed as his hands left her hips and moved upward massaging the taunt muscles of the small of her back. Dropping her head forward, her forehead touched his as her hands clutched at the sides of neck. He knew why she’d done it, knew she had probably spent years perfecting all the ways she could prevent someone from knowing about or touching the scars. He had no idea how many men she’d been with since, but he was almost certain she’d never let anyone touch the scars. And if she had, he knew it hadn’t been the loving experience she’d wanted or needed. His hand slide back down to her hips and she anticipated his next move. Her legs wrapped around him, her arms went around his neck as he picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. 

She expected him to lay her down, but instead he sat down on the side of the bed holding her in his lap. Straddling his legs, she let her hands cascade down his chest. Without a word she knew what to do. She started to unbutton his flannel shirt as he untucked it from his jeans. Reaching the last button she pushed it off his shoulders and dragged it down his arms dropping it on the floor. He pulled the t-shirt off and tossed it aside. Her hands instantly went to his bare chest as her eyes followed the length of the long scar in the center down to just above his jeans. She knew the whole story, what had led up to it, and how it had almost ended with his death on the table. Her hands caressed down his chest on either side of the scar, but she allowed her fingertips to touch the marred skin. When her hands started back up his chest, she dipped down and placed a kiss on the piece of the scar directly over his heart feeling the fingertips dig deep into her hips. As her hands reached his shoulders, she met his gaze again and saw the depth of the emotion in his eyes. She didn’t know it, but her thoughts where almost the same as his. She wondered how many women there had been since this newest scar. Had any of them paid attention or cared enough to experience the depth of emotion it held for him. 

He had countless scars, from battles, from accidents, from surgeries, from fights, and although none compared to what she had gone through, he would show her every last one if it gave her some sense of comfort with her own.

She knew about some of the scars, maybe not the story behind them, but had noticed them as they spent time together. Her finger touched the bridge of his nose where the faint pale line of a scar remained. It had been the first scar she noticed. Next her fingers traced an almost invisible moon shaped scar beside his right eye. Placing a kiss over it, she kissed the one on his nose then looked at him.

“Scars on men are seen as badges of honor, authority, credibility and respect they create this intense sense of masculinity.” She fought back the emotion as her eyes pooled with tears. “For women scars are imperfections, flaws, some corrupt form of the soft, pristine, beauty that’s expected.” She shook her head. “It’s a socially constructed notion, but everyone accepts it.” 

“I don’t.” 

“I know.” She gave him a half smile. “It’s an over simplification, but it’s the best explanation I have.”

“Hard lines and sharp edges.”

Her brow furrowed confused by the words.

“Men, hard lines and sharp edges. Women smooth lines and soft curves.”

“Exactly.”

“And you’re both.” His hands caressed up her thighs. “You gotta have some hard lines and sharp edges to put up with me.” He smiled when she laughed. 

“Yes you do.” She draped her arms around his neck letting her fingers play at the nape of his neck.

“And I didn’t fall in love with you because of your looks.” 

“Really?” Her eyebrow went up. 

He shook his head. “Fell in love with this.” He touched her temple. “And this.” He placed his hand flat against the space between her breasts over her heart. 

“You like a good fight, a challenge, someone that pushes you out of your comfort zone, yet will fight the good fight with you.”

“Yeah.” He sighed, his hands returning to her hips. “And you do it all.” His eyes leered down her body lingering on the skin exposed by her still opened blouse. “Although can’t say I mind the package you came in.”

“Is that so?” She reached up brushing the blouse from her shoulders and letting it fall from her arms.

“Oh yeah.” He licked his lips as his hands crawled up her rib cage.

She removed the bra and dropped it to the floor. “So you didn’t notice my body at all?

“I’m man. I noticed. I’d have to be blind not to notice.” His hands inched further up her body and his thumbs brushed across her hard nipples making her purr. 

“But there was so much you didn’t notice.” Her fingers touched his belt buckle.. “Like how just the sound of your voice could turn me on, the way I touched you because I needed some sense of intimacy, or how I would stare at your lips desperate for you to-” 

His lips seized hers amazed at how this kiss was even sweeter than the last, her lips seemed even softer and her need more intense. 

Releasing the buckle on his belt, she found the zipper pull and slowly dragged it down letting her fingertips feel the outline of his hard cock through the heavy denim. Her eyes went wide as he tossed her down onto the bed. His body draped over hers. 

“These need to go.” His fingers popped the button on her jeans then slowly drew the zipper down. Without a word she pushed them over her hips and wiggled out of them. “God Jack.” Gibbs growled gazing down at her naked body. He should have known she wasn’t wearing panties the jeans were so skin tight he would have seen the outline. 

“And these need to go.” She tugged at his jeans pushing them down as far as she could and he managed to maneuver them the rest of the way off. 

Rolling onto his side, he pulled her to him, crushing their bodies together as his lips found hers. His arm tightened around her, he could feel the moist heat of her against his cock and moaned into the kiss. His hand cupped her butt and she rocked forward. 

She broke the kiss meeting his blue eyes as she pulled back enough to slide her hand between them. 

“Jack.” The name came out as a long moan as she took him in. He clawed at the small of her back as every muscle in his body tensed overwhelmed by the sensation of having finally completed the connection between them. When she tightened around him, his fingertips dug into her skin as his body trembled. Instinctively he slowly rocked his hips back and forth and felt her hand clutch at his hip. A few more gently rocks and she was purring against him. Without a thought his hand caressed up her back and his fingertips brushed across the scars. He felt the body against him tense and the fingertips claw into the flesh of his hip. His lips brushed against her ear whispering words of adoration, beauty, strength, and the love he had for all of it. The body against him shivered as his fingers traced the scars as he spoke waiting as her body slowly relaxed before pulling back and looking into her eyes. Riveted to her gaze, the feeling hit him again, only tenfold, the same feeling he had when he first kissed her; that all-consuming feeling of protectiveness and possessiveness. His hand sprawled out over the scar as he felt himself spinning out of control. Those were two emotions he hadn’t felt for a woman in decades and it both elated and frightened him.

Her body shivered as she saw the look in his eyes shift from tender love to something she’d never seen from him and couldn’t place. It didn’t matter what it was, she knew it was about to consume them both. A gasp escaped her lips as he took her giving in to whatever madness had overtaken him and she accepted it, craved it, wanted it more than she had ever wanted anything from any man. He made love to her with this strange combination of raw unmet need and tender repentance. It was the most sensual thing she had ever experience. Their bodies created a perfect rhythm with each other, each anticipating the others needs and wants, and both desperately trying to hold on. Her body trembled when she felt the fingers brush against her clit and her forehead touched his. “Oh god yes.” She didn’t realize she had stopped moving, she just surrendered to the way he sent jolts of pleasure from her center throughout her entire body. The duel sensation was too much; she wasn’t going to be able to hold on. Throwing her head back she screamed his name, swore, and clamped around his cock and his fingers. 

He continued to take her as she clung to his body, her own body trembling in his arms until she crumbled against him panting for breath. So close, he was almost there with her when he felt her start to move with him again. Her lips against his ear her words were erotic, seductive and her voice sultry and full of promise. Thrusting into her he crushed her against him as he made quick short movements until his body tensed and he came.


	4. Unexpected Company

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few days away, unexpected company, confined quarters, and unexpressed feelings…what could possible happen.

She sighed contently as she snuggled deeper against the body behind her and into the blanket around them. She heard the grunt as she felt the hard cock against her backside and the arm around her waist tugged her closer. The warm lips against her neck made the goose bumps rise all over her body. “Are you always like this?” 

“Like what?”

“Insatiable.” She rubbed back against him. “Or do I get to take some credit for that.”

“You get all the credit.” He kissed the spot just below her ear then stilled content to just hold her. 

Her fingers caressed back and forth over the arm around her waist. They had made love several times, each more amazing than the last but she still couldn’t place it. That look he had in his eyes and that strange combination of emotions she had felt from him. Emotions she felt even stronger each time they made love. Pure need and tender repentance, not that the two couldn’t go together it just seemed odd in the context. What could possible make him feel the emotions simultaneously? Her hand suddenly stopped moving as it hit her. Turning around she wasn’t surprised when she was staring into the steely blue eyes. “Possessiveness.” She said the word and saw it register in his eyes. “That’s what I saw, what I felt.” Her brow furrowed. “Why does it trouble you that you feel that for me?” She looked at him searching his face for an answer. “It doesn’t have to have a negative connotation to it, although it can.” She raised an eyebrow. “Are you planning to tie me to the bed so I can’t get away?”

His eyes narrowed.

“Was that your plan all along, get me up here under false pretenses, seduce me and keep me as your love slave in some remote cabin?”

“I didn’t invite you.”

“But you gave in pretty damn fast when I invited myself.” She smirked.

He rolled his eyes not finding the humor in any of it.

“Fine.” She cleared her throat and put on her serious face. “Would it make you feel better if you knew the possessiveness I felt for you.”

His head cocked slightly.

“You think I was bad with the red headed waitress, that’s nothing to what’s going to happen the next time I have to stand there and watch some scantily clad witness hit on you.” 

“Scantily clad?”

“There is always some woman in a bikini or skimpy silk robe or tank top and daisy duke shorts.”

He couldn’t help but laugh.

“And they always find you so fascinating and-” She batted her eye lashes as she imitated the voice of several of the young witnesses that had come on to him. “Can I have your card Agent Gibbs, just in case I remember something and need to contact you, maybe tonight around dinner. Is your cell phone number on here?”

Shaking his head, he chuckled.

“Please if you knew the things that went through my head every time I saw some woman hit on you. You’d be more concerned about my possessiveness.”

“Is that so?” His eyebrow went up as his hand caressed up her back and over the scars with no reaction from her.

“Yes.” She pressed her body harder against his. “You are a damn sexy man cowboy and believe me women know it.”

“And how am I supposed to react when I see some guy come on to you?”

“Just kiss me, put him right in his place as I melt in your arms.” She felt the lips brush against hers then seize them showing her exactly what she wanted to feel. When he finally released her lips, her eyes were closed and she had melted against him. “That works.” Slowly her eyes fluttered open and he was smirking at her. “Ugh.” Her head rolled forward then she pulled it back up. “Are you going to get all cocky now that you know how much I want you?”

“No.” The smirk faded from his lips. “Are you?”

She stared at him a moment contemplating an answer. “I don’t know. Power over a man like you can be intoxicating.” She sighed wistfully. “I could see how that could go to my head. Having you fulfill every one of my whims.” 

“Your wish is my command.”

She laughed. “How did we get from you being troubled by possessiveness to you offering to fulfill my every wish?” Yet again she had tried to steer the conversation in one direction and ended up at a completely different destination. She was starting to believe like others that he was some sort of Dark.

“I have a wish I’ve wanted to fulfill.” He let the want fill his mind.

“And you think it might be something I want to?” 

“Oh I hope so.” He placed his lips next to her ear as he spoke.

Her eyes closed and her lips parted as his voice, the words he said caused her breath to hitch. Before she could even respond he was descending her body tossing the blanket aside as he gently pushed her onto her back. Her legs parted and he smile as his hands caressed up the outside of her legs and his lips rained kisses on her inner thighs. The anticipation already had her panting desperate for him to taste her. She felt his breath against her, waited, expected it, but then felt his lips kissing her thigh again. Taking a breath, she blew it out, her back arched when his tongue suddenly licked at her tasting the wetness. Her hands clutched at the bed sheet as his tongue dove deeper, exploring, tasting every minute piece of her. 

He listen to each and every sound she made thinking of all the ways he could cause her to make the sounds again. He discovered all the hidden places that made her body squirm and writhe with pleasure, remembering, memorizing, so he would always know the ways she liked to be touched. When his tongue finally licked across her clit she cried out thrusting her hips upward. He buried himself deeper into her savoring every taste of her as if she were his last meal.

Overwhelmed, her body covered in a fine sheen of sweet, chest heaving, she tried to take a breath and he sent her spiraling further as two fingers slipped inside her. She muttered some string of incoherent sounds, words she wasn’t sure, all she knew is her body started to tremble. Desperately trying to hold on, she clamped her muscles around the fingers inside her, hearing and feeling the moan from the man between her legs as he devoured her wanting her to come. Unwillingly she surrendered, her body convulsing as she bucked her hips over and over as the orgasm tore through her. Wave after wave of aftershocks surged through her as he continued to gingerly feast from her. Every muscle in her body suddenly tensed as he gently propelled her into another orgasm, this one sending her plunging into the abyss as her body collapsed onto the mattress. 

Kissing his way up her body, he stared down at her watching the quick rise and fall of her chest, her body still flushed a soft pink hue. She was gorgeous. Slowly her eyes fluttered open and she looked as if she was about to speak, but instead he felt her touch. His eyes closed as he was enveloped in the warmth of her. His hand clutched at her hip as he allowed himself to sink into her. 

“Take me.” Her hands clawed up his back as she spoke the words and he answered, taking her in quick short thrusts of his hips. Still reeling from her earlier release, her body   
shuddered overwhelmed by the sensation overtaking her again. His head fell forward next to hers. Cheek to cheek she whispered in his ear. 

His fingers dug into her hip as the words she spoke pushed him quickly to the edge; words of love and need then words pleading with him to surrendered, and finally words begging him to come. Burying his head in the crook of her neck, he thrust into her one last time, giving in to her demand. 

##########

Standing in the kitchen, he leaned back against the counter as he took a sip of coffee. He’d tried to sleep, but he was to wound up. Instead he’d laid there for a while holding her, watching her sleep, still feeling both amazed and terrified by how much he loved her. Finally realizing sleep wasn’t coming, he got up, put on his jeans and grabbed a sweatshirt then headed to the kitchen to made coffee. Now he was standing here feeling the same amazement and slightly less terrified. He shook his head trying to shake away the last reminiscence of concern. He’d spent month denying his feeling for her and now it would take time. Time for him to accept he loved someone so deeply again, time to accept that some of the rules no longer applied, and time to accept that she loved him just as deeply. He took a deep breath and realized for the first time in a very long time he was happy. The hairs on the back of his neck went up and his eyes were drawn to the bedroom door. The sight of her standing there in the door frame took his breath away. She was wearing the workout pants again, but probably the sexist thing was she had put on his flannel shirt and buttoned only three buttons right in the middle. He’d never been so glad that he’d decided to grab a sweatshirt instead of putting the flannel back on. Captivated by her mere presence he watched as she walked towards him, stopping and leaning against the small island counter cross from him.

“Are you always going to look at me like that when I walk across a room towards you?”

“Yeah.” The word came out as a sigh and it made her smile. This was part of what terrified him…the instant need to touch her when she was within reach. That need had been there for so long and been denied that it was now demanding retribution. Reaching out he let his fingers brush against the inside of her wrist applying just enough pressure to feel her pulse. It was rapid and erratic and it fueled his need to touch her further. His fingers caressed her palm and taking her hand he gently drew her to him, she came willingly. Their joined hands between them, pressed against their chests. Their eyes locked and her free hand came up and touched his cheek. Before he could lean in to kiss her, she was already kissing him, a tender loving kiss that spoke of the depth of emotions between them and the connection that now bound them together. 

When their lips parted, she was wrapped in his embrace, his arm tight around her waist, her hand clasped in his like a vice, and his eyes staring into hers. “Part of me wants to reassure you that you’ll get your control back…” She sighed. “But a larger part of me never wants you to get that control back, wants to always be able to keep you-.”

“I’ve been in a state of controlled chaos since I met you.” 

She sighed. “That is the most beautiful thing anyone’s ever said to me.” She leaned heavier against his body. “And one of the sexiest.”

He chuckled and rolled his eyes.

“You’re so damn unaware of how sexy you are.” She shook her head. “Which just makes you even sexier.” 

His eyes glanced down at the flannel shirt she was wearing. “You in that shirt is sexy.”

“Good, because I don’t see you getting this back.” She pulled her hand from his and pulled the shirt towards her face inhaling deeply. “It’s like being surrounded by you, the feel the scent.” 

“You two want to be alone?” He smirked.

“Maybe.” She wiggled her eyebrow and she felt the playful pat on her backside. “Wouldn’t be the first time I mast-”

“Don’t.” Gibbs growled eyes narrowing.

Her eyebrow went up as her hands caressed up his chest and around his neck. “Well if you’re a good boy I’ll let you watch.” She gave him a quick kiss and stepped out of his arms, only to have the arms wrap around her from behind and pull her back against him. She laughed as his lips pressed a kiss to her neck then brushed against her ear.

“I wouldn’t be able to just watch.”

“Good.” She sighed as she leaned back against his chest. “Mutual masturbation can be so much fun.” Even without seeing him she could tell his eyebrow went up. Turning around in his arms she smiled at him. “No comment.”

“Not sure what to say to that.” 

“Maybe sounds like fun or not my thing.” She grinned. “Or been there done that.” He still didn’t respond. She patted his chest. “Okay back to a more mundane topic.” She winked at him. “You’re not getting your shirt back.” Her hands caressed his chest. “One of the best things about a relationship is stealing man’s clothes.”

“That so.”

She nodded. “Lazy Sunday mornings getting up putting on your t-shirt, wearing it all day while we make love throughout the house. When take me against the boat, then across the table, the couch and all the other places we decide.”

“Sounds good.”

“Or you coming down stairs one morning and finding me in just your flannel shirt making coffee….so you take me against the counter then the fridge” 

He watched as her eyes widened a moment then returned to normal. 

“I need some coffee.” She kissed his cheek and stepped out of his arms as she went to the coffee pot and poured a cup. Feeling the arm snake around her waist, she closed her eyes already realizing he knew what had caused her reaction.

“Is that what you want?”

“I wasn’t trying to imply or make it sound like-” 

“You want us to live together.”

She shook her head. “It was just scenarios, situations people enjoy when they’re together.”

“Those were pretty specific.”

“Of course they were they’re specific to me.”

“And me.” He took her hips and turned her around. 

“This isn’t what two people talk about just a few hours after the first time they make love.”

His brow furrowed. “So mutual masturbation is okay but living together isn’t?”

“Yes.”

He couldn’t help it he laughed and shook his head. “I don’t need to be a forensic psychologist to know that’s a bunch of BS.”

She swallowed the lump in her throat.

“But we don’t have to talk about it.” He kissed her forehead and went to step away when her hand grabbed the front of his sweatshirt pulling him back.

Swallowing her pride and fear she confessed. “I’ve never been in this situation…where I’ve been in love with someone for so long, formed this friendship, this intimate bond, before anything ever happened between us.” She shook her head. “And now I feel like I’ve been handed everything I’ve ever wanted and I’m still not sure how process it. Plus there’s this overwhelming feeling that I have like I’m some love sick teenager again and I want to scribble Jack loves Gibbs all over her school note books and write Mrs. Jacqueline Gibbs over and over on a piece of paper.” She watched as the soft gently smile played across his lips. She rolled her eyes. “Not to mention the fact that I’m constantly horny and can’t get enough of you.” Finally taking a deep breath she slowly let it out as her hand released the fabric of his sweatshirt. “In case you hadn’t realized I can be pretty intense sometimes.”

He cleared his throat biting back a chuckle and she glared at him. 

“Right, you’ve seen me at my most intense.” 

“Yeah.” His arms went around her tugging her against him. 

“And you, you told me you were scared and the controlled chaos, but you still have this damn calm exterior-” She groaned. “It drives me crazy that you can be scared and worried,   
but so damn calm about it.”

His hand gently caressed the small of her back as he spoke more words than he had said in years. “I wanted you the minute you walked out of the bedroom. The moment I see you I want to touch you, feel your skin against mine in some way.” He let out a long breath. “And I’m not sure how I’m going to control that on a day to day bases at work, hell I’m not sure how I control it when we’re alone, and believe me I feel like a horny school boy.”

She grinned as her arms went around his neck.

“Your intensity doesn’t scare me, I love that about you. And my calm exterior is just that, an exterior for all the maddening emotions I have for you.” He shook his head. “You have gotten under my skin and into my soul and anything you need to say, feel, do, or not do won’t change that you’re already a part of me.” His hands caressed up the sides of her body. “I know I can be a functioning mute sometimes, but I always want you to be honest about what you want and what you feel.”

She leaned in and kissed his lips, a kiss expressing love without trying to ignite the already growing passion between them. “Thank you.”

He nodded.

“What I want right now is some coffee and you and I curled up on the couch.”

“Done.” He kissed her cheek.


	5. Unexpected Company

He was sitting at one end of the couch, his feet on the coffee table, his body at a slight angle so he could look towards the woman at the other end of the couch. She was sitting with her back against the arm of the chair, her feet in his lap as she sipped her coffee. 

“Does anyone know you have this place?”

He looked at her. “You.”  
“Not even Fornell?”

He shook his head.

“Your own private oasis.” She sighed. “It’s perfect.”

“Is now.” His hand caressed over the top of her foot as he look at the red toe nails.

“Had you had any experiences before you married Shannon?”

Gibbs’ brow furrowed.

She chuckled at his confused look. “When I asked if she was your first, you said yes, that usually implies penetrative sexual intercourse, but that doesn’t mean she was your first for other forms of sex.”

Gibbs looked at her and laughed.

“What?”

He shook his head. “Are you asking as a Psychologist?”

“I didn’t mean to sound so clinic.” She pulled her feet from his lap and slid to the middle of the couch next to him. Pulling her legs up under her she looked at him. “Was she the first to suck your cock?” She grinned as his eyebrow went up. “What? I was trying to be less clinical.”

He rolled his eyes. “No.”

“Was she the first woman you went down on?”

Another eye roll. “No.”

“Did you have anal sex?”

He sat his coffee cup on the end table next to him and turned towards her. “Yes.” His eyes searched hers. “What are you trying to figure out?”

“What turns you on?”

“You.”   
She smiled. “That wasn’t exactly what I meant.” She leaned over and put her mug down on the coffee table “I know you’re a simple man, but everyone has something, most people have multiple somethings.” 

“Sawdust, the boat, seems to be everyone’s opinion about what I like.” 

“I have my own opinions too, but that’s not what we’re talking about.” She paused. “I want to hear from you, what you like, fantasy about, masturbate to thoughts of, or whatever makes your cock hard the minute it crosses your mind.”

He smirked. “You.”

It was her turn to roll her eyes. “I’m thrilled I turn you on, but I was thinking more things that turn you on in a general sense. Lingerie, leather, shoes, a scent, blind folds, toys, something not specifically tied to me.” She smirked. “Sawdust, wood.”

“Then why ask all the questions about Shannon?”

“Because she’s the one woman you truly loved.” She smiled softly. “And since she was your first for somethings, she probably influenced what you like, and obviously what turns you on.” She put her elbow on the back of the couch and her head in her hand.

“Psychology mumbo jumbo again?”

She shrugged. “Somewhat. Our first loves or people who we have that strong physical and emotional connect with influence our likes and preferences. We discover things about ourselves when we have sex with people we feel deeply connected too.” She slid a little closer. “The first boy I let get to second base was so gentle and loving, he was as surprised as I was that I let him and it turned both of us on.” She shook her head. “I still get turned on when a man just enjoying touching my breast.”

Gibbs would definitely remember that.

“Plus he loved Cheap Trick, it was playing when we were making out and I still flash back to that moment every time I hear a Cheap Trick song.”

Gibbs chuckled.

“Music is especially powerful when it comes to an association with memories.”

“Lay Down Beside Me…Don Williams.”

“What memory does that bring back to you?” She saw him stare into the fire place as he spoke.

“Our wedding night…we had the radio on and that song came on after we made love.” He sighed as the memory flashed back. “I was watching her sleep knowing this is love…contentment…this was what all the writers, poets, dreams write about.” Taking a deep breath he turned and looked at her seeing the brown eyes filled with understanding. “Never thought I’d feel that way again.” His hand touched her knee. “But I had that same overwhelming feeling when I watched you sleeping earlier.”   
Her fingers touched his temple caressing across his forehead to his brown then down the ridge of his nose and she smiled when he wiggled his nose. When her fingers touched his cheek she traced a path down his jaw line to his lips before finally gently kissing him. “Cowboys Are My Weakness Trisha Yearwood.”

The corner of his lip curled into a smirk.

“I heard it on the way home after the first time I was with you in the basement.” She sighed wistfully as her hand caressed down his chest. “It was instantly about you and I downloaded it and played it for weeks.” 

He took her hand from his chest and brought it to his lips kissing the inside of her wrist then entwined their fingers and holding their joined hands against his chest. His eyes leered down her body. “A woman in one of my shirts is definitely a turn on…making love in the basement.” He took a deep breath. “And one thing you already know.” He saw the understanding in her eyes. “That’s why all the questions about Shannon.”

“You hinted at it.” She rose to her knees beside him. “I know you want it, probably need it after all these years, but it doesn’t mean you’re ready to accept it from me.” She watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. “And if we’re not at that point, it’s okay.”

Leaning in his lips gently brushed against her cheek before reaching her ear and whispering the words she needed to hear.

Her eyes closed and she took a deep breathe. When he drew back, her eyes opened and he saw the new fire within them. A fire fueled by love, desire and the power he’d given her. 

She stood up and extended her hand to him. Taking it, he rose and she led him towards the bedroom door pausing before they crossed the threshold. Turning around she said one word. “Stay.” Then walked through the door and closed it.

He stood there waiting, it seemed like minutes ticked by, but he was sure it was only seconds. When the door opened she was standing there in nothing but his flannel shirt, it was unbuttoned revealing a thin ribbon of skin down the center of her body. Again she took his hand, leading him into the bedroom stopping when they reached the side of the bed. Face to face standing there, her eyes locked on his. “Remove your shirt.” 

Grabbing the hem of the sweatshirt he pulled it over his head and dropped it onto the floor beside him. 

Reaching out she let her fingers caress across his stomach then follow the path of the scar up his chest feeling the roughness of the scarred skin and causing him to take a sharp breath. “I love this scar.” She let her fingertip travel back down the scar. “Because more than any other visible scar, it made you who you are today, at this moment…and I don’t know if your heart would have been ready to love me if this hadn’t happened.” 

She was right…something in him changed after that moment and had that change not come, he never would have opened himself up to loving her. It was the first time he actual gave thanks for that scar and what led up to it.

Taking a step back, her fingertips scratched across his stomach and around his body to the small of his back. Her own body followed until she was standing behind him. She pressed her warm lips to the spot between his shoulder blades as her hands clawed up his back feeling the muscles contract under her touch. As her hands reached his shoulders they caressed across and down his arms finding his hands clenched into tight fists. Her hands left his body and she walked around him again. Standing before him, she glanced down at his fists then back up into the dilated blue eyes. “You want nothing more than to reach out and touch me.” She took a step closer, their bodies almost touching. “To rip this shirt off so you can see every inch of my naked body.” She ran her fingers down the exposed skin between her breasts. “Do you think you’ll be able to control yourself through all this…or should I cuff you?”

He didn’t hesitate, he held up his fists in front of his chest wrists together. “Top drawer of the night stand.”

The quick admission made her heart skip a beat. She placed her hands on his wrists as she kissed the left then the right fingers of each fist. Standing on her tip toes she pressed her lips against his left ear. “Do you know how wet that makes me?” She heard the low growl escape his lips. “Knowing how much you want me.” Planting her feet firmly back on the ground, she brought his hands back down to the sides of his body. “I have a better idea, once I have you naked and in bed.” Her fingers played with the button on the front of his jeans. “I think you can control yourself that long.” She popped the button on his jeans and took hold of the zipper pull slowly gliding it down over his hard cock. He tried to stifle a moan, but she heard it and smiled. “I haven’t even touched you yet.” She took a step back. “Take off the jeans-” He was about to remove his pants when she quickly added. “Leave the boxers on.”

He did exactly what she requested, stepping out of the jeans and kicking them aside. 

“Someone definitely wants to come out to play.” She licked her lips as she stared at his crotch. His cock threatening to push out the front opening of the boxers, contained only because of the small button in the center. Leaning in she kissed him, her lips parting allowing him to devour her mouth with his tongue, offering him something for his hard fought effort. 

He suddenly ripped his lips from hers as his body trembled. The kiss was merely a distraction as her hand gently stroked his cock through the thin fabric of his boxers. And then the touch was gone causing his stomach muscles to clench at the loss of contact. His lust filled eyes locked on hers and her hand came up and gently touched his cheek.

“I have other plans for your cock.” She kissed his cheek. “Take off the boxers.”

He slipped them off and stood before her naked. 

Her eyes leered down his naked body pausing a few seconds longer on his hard cock before meeting his eyes again. “On the bed, in the middle, head by the headboard.” She watched as he followed her specific order. Walking to the end of the bed she put one knee on the bed and slowly stalked her way up his body until she was staring down at him. Straddling his body she sat down on his stomach just above his groin and heard his sharp intake of air then a stifled groan. She knew exactly what had caused the reaction and sighed as she rubbed herself against his stomach letting him feel exactly how wet she was. His eyes closed momentarily and his hands fisted into the bedsheet to prevent himself from grabbing her. Her hands sprawled out across his chest. “No one has ever turned me on the way you do.” Her head dipped down and captured his lips devouring them with all the unmet need within her. The kiss became brutal as she bit and sucked as his lower lip drawing moans and groans from the man beneath her. She finally stopped when both their lips were swollen, bruised, and aching from her assault. Yet he still raised his head trying desperately to hold on to the kiss. Sitting up, she reached under the pillow next to her and drew out a long silk scarf and held it up. “I prefer silk to cold steel.” She stretched the scarf out between her hands. “Hands above your head.” 

Again he complied without question or hesitation. His hands went above his head between the rungs of the headboard. He kept his eyes on her face as she started to tie the silk scarf around his wrists and through the wooden rungs of the headboard. He knew once the knots were tied the only way out would be to break the headboard. 

As she finished the last knot she felt the body beneath her tense and she slowly looked down into the blue eyes suddenly unsure of her actions. Complete control that’s what he had given her when he whispered in her ear. She’d assumed after he was willing to accept the handcuffs that the silk scarf would be no different. Reaching up she was about to untie the knot she’d just completed when he quickly spoke.

“No.”

She paused, her hand still poised to undo the knot as she looked down at him again. Part of her expected to see a hint of fear in his eyes, but there was none; only love, lust, and a slight glimmer of tentativeness. And a second later she realized why. Her mouth and lips went dry and she licked her lips before she spoke. “You’ve never been tied up during sex.” It wasn’t a question, she already knew the answer. “You’ve been cuffed but never to anything.” And that makes all the difference. Her hands caressed up his arms to his bound wrists. “Do you love me?”

“Yes.” The word came out in a breathless sigh.

“Do you trust me?”

“Yes.” As soon as he spoke the word his head went back exposing his throat and she attacked. Her lips kissing down his throat then nibbling her way back up. Her hands cascaded down his arms to his ribcage clawing at the sides of his body. Then he felt her teeth gnawing at his Adam’s apple and moaned as the pleasure surged through his body.  
Her fingertips dug deeper into the sides of his body as she reveled in the fact that he willingly surrendered to her. She knew all the theories, had read the history and studies done on control and bondage, but her personal experience was minimal. There were countless reasons people experimented with all of it, but right here, right now with Gibbs, she knew the reasons without any explanation between them. Letting her lips lead her, she kissed down his throat to his chest and over to his left nipple licking at it as she looked up at him. She smiled to herself when he moaned softly and moved to the right nipple offering it the same attention until he squirmed under her. Placing her lips at the start of the scar on his chest she slowly licked her way down, her body sliding down his as she made her way down his body. She stopped where the scar ended, her body now between his spread legs. Looking up, she saw the anticipation in his eyes as her face was posed about his hard cock. 

Running her hands up the inside of his thighs she felt the muscles tense as her fingers brushed against his balls then a sigh of disappointment as her hands continued to his hips. She let out a breath and it whispered across his cock causing it to twitch as she slid further down. She was as desperate to suck his cock as he was to have her do it. The thought had haunted her since the moment after they’d met. But she wanted to build the anticipation that was already consuming him. Kissing up the inside of his right thigh, she paused and flicked her tongue out barely touching the base of his cock and causing his whole body to shudder. 

His head went back, his eyes closed and his back arched off the bed as the feather like touch of her tongue set every nerve in his body on fire. As she kissed up the inside of his other thigh, his hands balled into fists and he held his breath in anticipation of her touch again. Instead her touch completely disappeared. His eyes shot open and he looked down at her just as her tongue licked up the underside of his cock. Some animalistic roar spilled from his lips and as her tongue reached the head of his cock and flicked across.  
Feeding off of his desire, she repeated the act then repeated it again this time nibbling her way back down to the base. Pausing a moment, she waited until he took a quick breath and licked up his cock again this time sucking the head between her lips causing his body to shudder again. 

He suddenly hissed as a surge of pleasurable pain coursed through him. He’d involuntarily thrust his hips upward and to still his movement she’s pressed her palm against his thigh and dug her fingernails into the flesh. It was the first time in decades he’d actually wanted to apologize for something he felt he had absolutely no control over. When he heard her make a tsk, tsk noise he closed his eyes and held his breath knowing there would be a consequence to the action and frankly at this point he welcomed whatever consequence she saw fit. Her touch disappeared, the bed shifted and he groaned with disappointment. Then he felt her legs against his ribcage and felt the weight on his chest. He opened his eyes to see her straddling his chest and staring down at him.

She brushed the bottom tails of the shirt aside revealing the bottom portion of her body. Her hand slipped down between her thighs and slid two fingers between her legs finding that perfect spot. She purred as she rubbed her clit. “Do you know the first time I thought about sucking your cock?” She gazed down at him as her eyes glazed over. “The first time I met you.” She rocked her hips slowly as the pleasure built. “I looked at those blue eyes, sensed the emotion deep within you…” She trailed off as her body trembled slightly. “I wanted to drop to my knees and do it right there at the kitchen table.” God it was the truth. It was something about those blue eyes, the depth of emotion they express with just one look. “When did you first want me?”

“MTAC”

She bit at her lower lip remembering the look he’d given her that day. “I wanted you to follow me when I left.”

“I should have followed you… pulled you into a conference room, thrown you against the wall and kissed you until neither of us remembered what it was like to be kissed by anyone else.” He heard her whimper as her eyes fluttered closed and then shot back open. 

She removed her hand from between her legs and saw the disappointed look cloud his face. 

“I want you to come.” He growl wanting to watch as she lost control.

“I want you to make me come.” She rose up on her knees, slipped off the shirt and dropped it beside her and slid forward parting her legs above Gibbs’ Face. “OH GOD!” Her right hand shot out and latched onto the top edge of the headboard as he buried his face between her legs lapping at the wetness. Her other hand slammed against the wall as his tongue found her clit sending waves of pleasure surging through her. 

He gave her exactly what she wanted, what they both wanted. He could feel her legs starting to shake, her knees squeezing against his shoulders, and the erotic sounds of pleasure dripped from her lips. She was so close, he could feel it, sense it and he wished his hands were free. Instead he doubled his efforts, making long licks between her lips then licking and sucking at her clit until she was crying out for him to make her come. 

She screamed his name as her body shuddered and she came, her legs quavering as she tried to hold herself up. When her knees started to give out she rolled to the side crumbling down beside him on the bed, gasping to fill her aching lungs. Laying there a moment she let her body calm, tried to slow and steady her breathing before rolling onto her side and meeting the gaze of the man already staring at her. Picking her head up, she kissed him tasting herself on his lips and causing him to growl into the kiss.

“Untie me.” Gibbs yanked on the scarf.

“Why would I do that?” She asked looking at him with brow furrowed. “When I have so much more I want to do to you.” As she spoke she let her fingers dance up his thigh. “Is that why you were so eager to make me come?” Her fingertips caressed over his cock. “You thought if I came I’d just let you go, give you back control.” She shook her head then leaned in and whispered in his ear. “I wanted to come so I could be more in control, more focused on all the things I want to do to your body…your cock.” She sighed. “I think it’s about time I get a real taste of you.” She crawled between his legs and looked up at him seeing his Adam’s apple bob up and down. Wrapping her hand around the base of his cock, she brought the head to her lips, kept her gaze locked on his and licked it over and over.

His mouth fell open as he body trembled and he fought the urge to thrust his hips.

“Already so close.” She didn’t expect a response. She knew he was trying every trick he knew to control him and his body’s reactions. Letting her hand gently stroke his length, she watched and waited. Waited for his eyes to close, for his head to fall back down to the pillow, for him to believe she was going to jerk him off and then she wrapped her mouth around the head of his cock and took him in. 

He let out some incoherent string of sounds as his back arched and every muscle in his body tensed in surprise. His eyes opened and he looked down at her as she started to bob over his length. It was the wrong thing to do. Seeing her, the fervor of her actions, and the slight glances of her looking up at him sent his mind and body into a battle…his mind desperately wanting to hold on and relish in the pleasure that surged through him and his body desperately wanting to surrender and experience the release. He wrapped his hands around the rungs of the headboard for a sense of stability as his world spun out of control. As if sensing his struggle, she suddenly slowed pausing at the head of his cock and sucking and licking at it. He told himself it was because she wanted to prolong his enjoyment but he knew it was about teasing him drawing out the agonizing pleasure and keeping him on the edge. And that became blatantly clear when his body had just started to settle slightly and she was suddenly devouring him again sending him into a downward spiral of ecstasy. He was quickly losing the fight as his mind started to give in surrendering to the overwhelming need his body conveyed to it. Again he expected her to slow and try and delay his release. Instead she impaled herself on him sucking at the base of his cock. 

“Jack.” The name tore through the room as she sent him over the edge and he came. His eyes closed, back arched, and his muscles tensed as she took everything he gave to her. Finally his body collapsed back down onto the mattress leaving him panting for air. When he felt the hands caressing his body it send a shiver through him and he realized within the sex induced haze that she was moving. He moaned as he felt the weight on his groin and his eyes slowly opened staring into the yearning brown eyes above him. His heart thumped loudly against his ribcage as his mind instantly realized she wasn’t done with him yet. He groaned with need as she continued to rub herself over his cock. Silently he prayed to whatever deity would listen that he was up to fulfilling her demands. It had been a very long time since a woman had wanted him over and over again.

Her hands caressed up his chest to his face and her hands cupped his cheeks. She smiled down at him, that soft sweet smile she reserved specifically for him. “Don’t worry; recovery time just gives me time to tease you even more.” Her smile widened as she saw his eyes dilate again and he swallowed hard. Without another word she climbed off of him and disappeared from the room. 

He listened, hearing her footsteps, the fridge open, clanging of glass and then she was walking back into the room. He glanced down looking at the items in her hands. In one hand was the bottle of Bourbon he’d bought. In the other hand a glass with ice. God he could use a drink. 

Standing by the edge of the bed she poured some Bourbon in the glass and sat the bottle on the nightstand. Climbing back onto his body she straddled his groin again drawing a low moan from him. She twirled the glass a few times letting the ice cool the alcohol in the glass before bringing it to her lips and taking sip. “Good but-” She paused. “It could be so much better.” Tipping the glass a stream of Bourbon dribbled down his chest and he flinched as the cool liquid ran down his chest. Then he growled as she dipped down licking up his chest savoring the Bourbon from his body. Drawing back she licked her lips. “So much better.” She purred then grinned as she repeated the action this time sucking the liquid up then licking any reminiscence left behind. This time when she sat back up, she looked down at him holding the glass up before her. “Would you like some?”

“Yes.” The word crackled from his dry throat as he parted his lips desperate for a sip.

Leaning forward, she placed her breast above his face tipping the glass and letting the liquor run down her breast and off her nipple into his mouth. She smiled as he licked his lips then gazed into her eyes.

“More.” He pleaded.

Putting her hand on the top of the headboard she leaned down further again drizzling the liquor down her breast but this time making sure she was close enough for his tongue and mouth to reach her nipple. She whimpered as his tongue flicked out licking at her nipple as the Bourbon dripped into his mouth. As the last drop reached his tongue his mouth closed around her nipple suckling greedily and drawing a needy moan from her. She closed her eyes relishing the wave of pleasure that cascaded through her body. Her eyes finally opened when his lips left her breast and she sat back up. “Well well.” She hummed rubbing over the hard cock beneath her. 

“Please.” Gibbs begged yanking on the scarf binding his wrists.

She placed the glass on the bedside table and caressed his cheek. “I love to hear that pleading tone in your voice.” Dipping down she brought them face to face as her thumb danced over his bottom lip. “I’m not sure which of us wants it more.”

He felt the weight on his body disappear then a hand on his cock. “Jack.” The name came out as a low growl as he was enveloped in the wet warmth of her. “Oh God yes.” He roared as she took every inch of him settling on his lap. Again he jerked at the scarf wanting nothing more than to touch her, crush her body against his and take her.

“Feels so good.” She rocked her hips feeling him twitch inside her. Putting her hands flat on his chest she made a few quick up and down motions causing them both to moan with need. She took a deep breath as she settled in his lap again. The connection between them was overwhelming both emotionally and physically and her control was beginning to falter. 

Sensing her failing control, Gibbs begged for more. “Jack please.” The ache in his voice was real, a desperate need he hadn’t experienced in over a decade.   
Her lust filled eyes stared at him a moment. She had never loved someone the way she loved him and no one had ever looked at with the depth of emotion as he did. Her eyes closed momentarily as she took another deep breath and opened them again. 

The lustful look had now turned to an animalist hungry and Gibbs held his breath.

A second later she was taking him, her fingertips clawing into the flesh of his chest as she gave up any concern about control and gave in to the base need that consumed her. It was completely raw and unbridled with no thought other than of their combined pleasure. 

He was as complete lost as she was his hips thrusting upward each time she came down on his cock. 

A fine she of sweat covered her body causing her to shiver and her legs started to quiver from the insane pace she had created. She was so close, so desperate for release but there was one thing missing…his touch. His hands on her hips his body pressed against hers and she wanted that, needed it. She reached out and grabbed the end of the scarf that would undo the knot and has his eyes widen. “I need your touch.” Pulled the end of the scarf she freed Gibbs’ hands. The air rushed from her lungs as the roar tore through the room and she was crushed down against his body. His hands clawed down her back and latched onto her hips as he lunged upward into her over and over.   
Her forehead touched his as her hands went to his face. “Please Jethro; I want it, all of you.” It was her final act of control freeing him completely.

Another roar echoed through the room as he lunged into her and yanked her hard down against him as he came. Her mouth opened in a silent cry as she followed him over the edge coming and collapsing down onto his body.

##########

She stopped in the doorway to the bedroom staring at the man sitting on the edge of the bed in his boxers. She didn’t know how long they had laid there after they made love, but finally they had made their way into the shower. They stood under the water in each other’s arms just letting the warm water wash over them. He’d exited first, giving her a few minute to herself and when she emerged she chuckled when her sweats and his flannel shirt were awaiting her. 

He picked up the glass of Bourbon from the night stand and tossed it back empting the remaining liquor from the glass. Sensing her presence he turned seeing her standing their smiling at him from the doorway. Holding out his hand to her, she walked in taking his hand and letting him pull her between his open legs. He reached up touching her cheek and drawing her down kissing her lips to gently it was barely a whisper between them. “God I love you.” The last word came out as a growl as he grabbed her and tossed her down on the bed. 

She laughed in surprised as she looked up into the love filled blue eyes of the man on his side next to her. “I love you too.” She smiled as her fingers played in the soft gray hairs on his chest. “That was…”

“Amazing.”

“Definitely.” She nodded. 

“Erotic.”

“Empowering.” She sighed. “And intense.”

His brow furrowed not sure if she meant that as a good or bad thing.

“That’s a good thing…just a little surprise there at the beginning.” She searched his blue eyes as she asked the question. “Would you let me do it again?”

“Yes.” His fingers played with one of the buttons her shirt. “Would you want to do it again?”

“Yes.” She bit at her lower lip a moment. “Although I think I’d like one of your hands free.”  
He let his hand slip inside the flannel shirt and his fingers caressed over her stomach smiling when she purred. "Not being able to touch you is the hardest part.”

“For me too.” She grabbed his wrist pulling his hand out from under the shirt and entwining their fingers. “I don’t think you understand what your touch does to me.”

His eyebrow went up. “You’re clenching your thighs so I have an idea of what my touch does to you.”

“Hey!” She laughed smacking his chest. 

“Dinner?”

“Steaks?” 

Gibbs shook his head. “There’s a bar not far.”

"You wanna go out?” She looked at him perplexed.

“Yeah.”

“Why?” She questioned him and he just shrugged. “Gibbs please.” Rolling her eyes she reached up and kissed him. 

“What?” 

“I know you don’t just want me for sex.” She smirked. “You don’t have to prove it by taking me out.”

“Maybe I’m worried you just want me for sex.”

“Maybe I do.” She wiggled her eyebrows. 

He smacked her hip playfully.

“It’s normal for a couple to be a little sex obsessed at the start of new relationship.”

“Is that so?” He smirked.

“Yes eventually it levels off.”

His hand caressed up her hip. “So eventually you’re not going to clench your thighs together every time I touch you because you’re getting wet.”

She glanced down at his boxers already tented by his hard cock. Her eyebrow went up as she looked at him. “And eventually you’re not going to tent your boxers every time you touch me thinking about what position you’re going to making love to me in.”

“That’s never going to happen.” He grinned. “I will always be thinking about the next position I want to make love to you in.”

She shook her head. “Why do I even try?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know.”

She couldn’t help but laugh. 

He took her hand and kissed her palm. “I get it.”

“Thank you.”

“Although it would be nice to be somewhere where I can’t just throw you down and make love to you.” He sighed. “Since that seems to be the overriding thought in my head.”  
She cleared her throat as all the places in the cabinet she’d like him to throw her down and make love to her ran through her mind. “Dinner out is probably a good idea.”

“Yeah.” He stood up and offered her his hand helping her from the bed and jerking him against her. “Although when we get back, I have a few positions I’d like to make love to you in.”

Her thighs clenched at the thought raced through her head.


	6. Unexpected Company

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few days away, unexpected company, confined quarters, and unexpressed feelings…what could possible happen.

“Should I wear my boots?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “Is this one of those boots and cowboy hats bar? Or more just Midwest dive.”

“It’s a bar.” He said as he walked out of the bedroom and into the living room.

She looked up from her position on the couch as she was pulling on her boot. Taking him in, she shook her head. “You can’t wear that.”

He looked down at the jeans and flannel shirt he had on then back at her. “What?”

“That shirt.” She sighed wistfully at the mix of blues in the flannel shirt that made his eyes even bluer. Dropping her boot to the floor she stood up and walked over to him. She shook her head again. “You are too sexy and…” She trailed off thinking of everything she’d like to do to him.

He skimmed down her body. She was wearing a beige one piece dress that hugged her upper body like a glove, it a string that tied against her neck, but instead she’d left it open letting it reveal her neck and upper chest. The sleeves stopped at her elbow and the bottom skirt flowed down to her ankles, loose fitting. She looked like an angel. A sexy angel. “And I’m supposed to deal you in that.” His hand caressed up her ribcage and he let his fingers brush against her breast.

“Stop.” Even as she said it she leaned into him placing her hand on the center of his chest.

“Are you partial to that dress?”

Her brow knitted. “No, it’s just a dress. Why?”

Leaning in his lips brushed against her ear. “Because I plan to rip it off you when we get back tonight.” He heard the moan she tried to stifle and stepped back.

“You are a tease.” She snapped walking back over to the couch and dropping down. “And pay back is a bitch.” Grabbing her boot, she pulled one on then the other, zipped the side of each one, and stood up.

Gibbs glanced at her feet. “And those aren’t boots.” 

“Yes they are.”

He rolled his eyes. “Not here.” They were some kind of dressy shoe that came up to her ankle with a wedge heel and a zipper on the side. He made his way to the front door.

“I don’t think anyone will be looking at my boots.” She grinned to herself when he stopped in mid-step, took a breath then continued to the door. 

He grabbed his coat from the hook by the door put it on then grabbed hers. She approached him and turned around as he held the coat up for her. Slipping her arms in the coat, she felt his arms wrap around her waist and pull her close. His lips brushed against her ear. “The fact you had this dress with you says everything I need to know.” 

“What does it tell you?” She licked her lips wanting to hear him say it.

“You came here to seduce me.” He let his hand caress across her stomach causing her body to shiver. 

“Turns out I didn’t even need the dress to seduce you.” She spun around in his arms her brown eyes meeting blue. “And it was more about enticing you, hoping you would see what was right in front of you.”

His eyes skimmed down her body. “You didn’t need the dress to do that.” That cocky smirk curled at the corner of his lip.

“But you like it?”

“I do.”

“And you’re thinking about how you’re going to rip it off me when we get home?”

He nodded.

“Then it served its purpose.” She kissed him quickly and stepped out of his embrace. “Let’s go I’m starved.”

He shook his head and chuckled. How did he get so lucky?

###############

Opening the door, Jack walked into the bar and smiled. It was exactly how she pictured it. The typical bar that Gibbs loved. Against the back wall was the bar with six or seven stools around it. The other walls lined with booths, a few tables spattered throughout. There was a jukebox back in the far right corner and a small area for people to dance. A couple already wrapped in each other’s arms swaying to a country song. There were a few other people scattered throughout the place and a couple people at the bar. 

Gibbs walked in and the door closed behind him.

The bartender looked up at the new arrivals and broke out in a smile. “Wondered when you’d show up.”

Gibbs’ hand gently touched the small of Jack’s back motioning her forward to the bar.

“Jethro, good to see you.” The bartender reached across and shook Gibbs’ hand.

“Barry.” Gibbs nodded. “This is-”

“Jacqueline Sloane.” Barry smiled as he shook her hand. He looked at Gibbs then back at her. “Paul told me she was beautiful, way out of your league.” He shook his head. “Boy was he right.”

Gibbs rolled his eyes.

“Gotta love a small town.” She chuckled at how quickly news gets around.

“Ah just giving him a hard time.” Barry winked at her. “Jethro’s always been lucky with the ladies. It’s those damn blue eyes.”

“Yes it is.” Jack grinned.

Barry glanced back and forth between the two then chuckled. “Oh I knew Paul was wrong.”

“Wrong?” Jack asked.

“That you two were just friends.” Barry shook his head. “Jethro wouldn’t just bring some friend up here especially to the cabin.”

“Paul was right at that time I actually seduced him at the cabin.” She smirked and winked at him. Glancing over at Gibbs she say him let out a heavy sigh and shake his head. “It was so easy.”

Barry laughed and looked at Gibbs. “You do like the feisty ones.”

“Yeah, right.” Gibbs rolled his eyes again. “Two of the specials.”

“Same old Jethro, change the subject when it gets personal.” Barry smiled at Jack. “Anything to drink.”

“Two beers.” She smiled back.

“You got it.” Barry reached down and pulled up two bottles, opened them and placed them on the bar in front of her. “You two settle in I’ll bring the food over when it’s ready.”

“Thanks Barry.” Gibbs grabbed the beers handing on to Jack then touched the small of her back moving her towards a booth toward the back right side.

“Oh I bet he could tell me a few stories about you.” She laughed as she sat the beer down on the table and took her coat off tossing to the back of the booth seat before sliding in and sitting down. 

Gibbs slid in beside her and she gave him a quizzical look. “What?”

She smiled and shook her head. “Nothing.”

He knew exactly what she was thinking. “Yeah.”

The smile turned to a grin and she leaned against his arm. “So sexy when you’re all possessive.”

Taking a long swig of his beer, he glanced over at her. God she was beautiful. As much as he hated the possessiveness he felt for her, how could he not. The fact this woman loved him still surprised and amazed him.

“I’m the lucky one.” She slipped her arm through his and she felt the tender kiss to her forehead.

“Sorry to interrupt.” Barry smirked as he placed the two plates on the table. “I’ll come back with a couple beers in a few minutes.”

“Thanks.” Gibbs nodded.

“Oh my god this looks amazing.” Half the plate was covered by a huge double patty burger, the other half with sweet potato fries, a cup of coleslaw and another small cup of something else. Slipping her arm from Gibbs she picked up the small cup and smelled it.

“Honey for your fries.” Gibbs explained grabbing a couple fries dipping them in the honey and taking a bite.

“Really.” She followed suit and closed her eyes as she purred. When her eyes opened she smiled. “How have I never had this?” 

Gibbs smiled happily as they both eat. A few minutes later Barry stopped back and placed two more beers on the table.

“This is wonderful.” Jack offered between a bite.

“I’m glad you like it.” Barry smiled before quickly disappearing again.

Gibbs slid another beer towards her and she took a swig. He watched as she bit into the last few bites of the hamburger. She hadn’t lied, she was definitely hungry.

“Do you know how many calories you burn making love?” She said trying to swallow the mouthful of food. 

Gibbs chuckled. “No.”

“A man burns a hundred calories and a woman burns seventy.” She cocked her head and raised an eyebrow. “We made love three times, that’s three hundred calories you burned and two hundred and ten for me. And that’s not even accounting for what we burned when you went down on me.”

He couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’m a plethora of unusual facts.” She grinned.

“I see that.” 

When the food was gone they talked…like friends, like lovers, talked about everything. She was asking about Stillwater, he was asking about California, it was discussions about life in general. There was no hesitation from either of them when anything was asked. They were comfortable together, even in the moments of silence where they just sat there watching people dance or holding each other’s hands. 

“Beer?”

“Sure.” She took the last sip of her beer as he got up, slipped off his coat, and headed to the bar. He was only gone a moment when he stepped back to the table he held out his hand. 

“Dance with me.”

Her eyebrows went up. “You want to dance?”

He nodded.

“There’s no music.” The words no more than left her lips and a song started. She glanced over and saw Barry walking away from the jukebox. Sliding out she took his hand and he led her towards the open area towards the back of the bar as a rocky country song played. 

Wrapping his arm around her waist he held her gently as he stared into those haunting brown eyes. The lyrics of the song started and he watched as she listened. He’d heard it months ago when he was drinking a bar one night. A newer country singer, Jason Aldean, a song Girl Like You. It immediately made him think of her. The line your kiss is double barrel bourbon on the rocks was exactly what he thought kissing her would be like…and he was right. Her kiss hit him harder than any drink ever had.   
She realized instantly that he’d wanted her to hear the song and as it continued she let her hand caress around his neck, her fingers playing at the nape of his neck as she put her head on his shoulder. She listened, eyes closed, as they swayed to the music. Never had she felt so safe in someone’s arms and as the words touched her she felt that constantly nagging ache for him. Taking a deep breath she willed herself to relax, enjoy just being close to him. Then his hand danced across the small of her back, a few fingers brushing across her backside. Casually as if, she were telling him about the weather, she whispered in his eyes. “I’m not wearing any underwear.” There was a slight hitch in his movement and she felt his grip on her tighten. “And I’m already wet.”  
The music stopped and she slipped out of his arms, but took his hand leading him back to the booth. When they reached it, he spun her around and the look in his eyes took her breath away. It was the look of animalistic need.

“I need you.” The words came out in a hungry growl.

“Then take me.” She whispered with utter desperation. As he leaned forward, she held her breath almost believing he was going to take her right on the tabletop. But he reached into his pocket and tossed some cash onto the table before grabbing their coats, taking her hand and practically dragging her to the front door.

“Have a good night.” Barry managed to get out before the door slammed closed behind them. He chuckled knowing exactly why they were leaving so quickly.

Outside the bar they had reached the side of the truck and he opened the door tossing their jacks onto the seat then slamming the door closed. She was suddenly spun around and crushed between the door and his body as his lips crashed down onto hers.   
His hand clawed at the dress bunching the fabric up until he was able to slide his hand under it and grab her ass. She moaned into the kiss as he squeezed her ass check and crushing her pelvis against his growing erection. Her hands snaked around his waist and latched onto his ass jerking him even harder against her. 

The action caused him to rip their lips apart as she rubbed herself against him.

“I’ve been a very bad girl.” She licked her lips seductively. 

“A very bad girl.” Gibbs growled.

“I need to be taught a lesson.” Her hands clawed up Gibbs back wishing she could tear the shirt from his body and claw into his skin. “Show me what you do to bad girls.” 

He hesitated as he searched the brown eyes for answers

She knew why he hesitated, knew the question he was searching for the answer to. “I want this, you in control taking whatever you want however you want it.”

Gibbs’ eyes narrowed trusting her words and the permission she gave him. His hands left her body and the skirt fell back down into place. He took a step back and took her wrist pulling her towards him with on hand while he opened the passenger door with the other. “Get in the truck.”

Without a word, she climbed into the truck and the door closed behind her. Her heart was beating like thunder in her chest as he walked around to the driver’s side and climbed in.

He started the truck and pulled out of the parking lot driving in silence for about half a mile. Without even looking over at her he finally spoke. “Slide over here.”

She slid across the seat, sitting next to him and waiting to hear his next words. 

“Pull up your dress.”

She did as told balling the fabric up around her waist.

“Spread your legs.”

Biting back a whimper, she spread her legs as the anticipation of what he would request next made her shiver. There were no words, instead his right hand left the steering wheel and found its way between her legs. Her body trembled as he ran two fingers between her lips then momentarily rubbed her clit.

“So wet.” His fingers slipped inside her as he pressed his thumb against her clit.

She gasped as her muscles clamped around his fingers.

“Did you like making me hard in the bar?”

“Yes.” She managed to answer as he fucked her with his fingers.

“That’s why you were such a bad girl, wearing this sexy dress, not wearing panties, you wanted to make me hard, wanted me desperate to fuck you.”

“God yes.” She was rocking her hips now and gasping for breath wanting to come. Her body slid against him as he made a hard left turn down a dark dirt road. The road was suddenly engulfed by trees and both sides and the truck swerved off to the left and came to a stop. 

“Do you want to come?” He asked as he worked his fingers in and out of her.

“Yes please.” Her reply was a desperate plea.

“Good.” He pulled his fingers from her and heard her whimper at the loss. Opening the door he stepped out and stood in the doorway. “Come here.”

She slid to the edge of the seat her and he put his hands on her knees spreading her legs.

“Touch yourself.” 

The pure lust in his steel blue eyes made her even more eager. Slipping her hand between her legs she started to rub her clit. Watching, she saw his eyes drift downward and she closed her eyes imaging him inside her, taking her, coming inside her. Within seconds she was so close felt her body started to tremble as the orgasm built. Her eyes shot open when she felt the hand caressing up her thigh. She licked her lips when she saw Gibbs’ jeans were undone, his hand wrapped around his cock stroking over its length. “Oh god I’m gonna come.” It was too much and she screamed coming as her entire body convulsed. Before she could even catch her breath, she felt the hands on her hips and she was lifted from the seat. Her hands instinctively wrapped around Gibbs’ neck, her legs around his waist as she was impaled onto his cock. “Fuck me!” She screamed as her body was shoved against the side of the truck, his hands clutching at her hips.

He took her mercilessly, lunging into her with every ounce of his strength. Her finger clawed into the back of his neck, her heels digging into his lower back as she clung to him. His lips found her neck, his teeth nipping at the tender flesh until the animal within him bit down wanting a deeper taste of her. She moaned her approval, gladly accepting the mark she knew he would leave.

It still wasn’t enough, he wanted, needed more of her. With a growl he moved her, bringing her back to the truck doorway. Her legs falling from around his waist her feet touched the runner board on the side of the truck. She looked at him for a moment before she was turned around and her upper body pushed forward. She put her hands palm down onto the seat, as he bent her over, grabbed her hips and lunged into her from behind. Over and over, she felt her body shoved forward with each thrust and she grunted as her muscles contracted around him. The world around her had faded away and there was only Gibbs, the connection between their bodies, the aching pleasure surging through her. Suddenly her upper body was jerked upright. Two strong hands took hers placing them on the handle above the door. She wrapped her fingers around it as she was jerked against Gibbs’ body. His fingers find the open neckline of the dress and in one quick movement ripped it apart. She gasped at the action and from the cold air that blew across her bare skin. His arms caressed around her now exposed body. One calloused hand found her left breast and the other made its way between her legs. “Fuck yes!” She cried out as Gibbs rubbed her clit and hammered into her again. Her eyes rolled back in her head as her arms trembled and her body shook. 

He pressed his lips to her ear. “Are you gonna be a good girl from now on?”

She wanted to answer, but all she could manage was a moan of pleasure.

“No, you’ll never learn.” He growled as he lunged into her and stilled. “Because you love the punishment too much.” He made quick short jabs into her. “Love the effect you have on me, love that I want and need you so desperately, that I can’t get enough of you.” He felt her body start to tremble and he started taking her again. “And most of all you love me doing anything I want to you.”

Her mouth fell open and she screamed… words, sounds, she couldn’t hear any of it. All she knew was the world behind her eyelids exploded into a sea of colors as her body convulsed and she crumbled downward.   
Gibbs caught her, safe in his arms as he came with an animalist howl.

################

He was laying on his back staring at the roof of the truck, one arm above his head, the other wrapped protectively around the woman curled against his chest. Somehow as they collapsed onto the seat, he was able to push the bench seat back down and cover them up before Jack fell asleep. This was one of the reasons he’d bought the truck, the seat folded down to sleep. Although he didn’t think he’d be using it after making love. He’d figured he’d sleep in the truck instead of a hotel when he was traveling or just wanted to get away. He felt the body against him shift then the blanket move as she crawled onto his body straddling his hips and kissing her way up his chest until they came eye to eye. 

“That was…” Her voice trailed off because there seemed to be no words that could even remotely express what making love like that did to her. “I can’t even describe, but my whole body is still humming.”

His hand touched her cheek. “You are amazing.” He captured her lips and he sighed into the kiss as her hands danced up his ribcage. When their lips parted her brown eyes locked on his.

“I wouldn’t have started that if I didn’t want it.” She knew why he was so contemplative, knew why he had hesitated earlier. 

“I know what it’s like; certain things…even things you didn’t think could trigger-”

“I know, but not you.” She shook her head. “No one has ever made me feel as safe and loved as you do with every look and every touch.” She sighed. “The way you hold me in your arms.” She purred. “And the way you make love to me…no one has ever-” 

The sentence went unfinished as he seized her lips letting his hands dance up her back lovingly caressing the scars beneath his fingertips. She was the one to finally pull back her lungs aching for air and she looked down at him with all the love she felt for him. 

“You make me realize the pain, the scars; they have no power over me.” Feeling his cock harden beneath her, she rose up and slowly took him in, drawing a low groan from him. She put her palms flat on his chest as she rocked her hips enjoying just having him inside her. 

Gibbs wanted to speak, wanted to say more, but she shook her head already understanding. Sitting up with her in his lap he sought her lips again drawing her deeper into his arms. No further words were needed. They were cut from the same cloth, forged in war, bathed in loss and heartache, damned by their own sense of responsibility for it all but now, now they had finally find a sense of salvation in each other.


	7. Unexpected Company

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few days away, unexpected company, confined quarters, and unexpressed feelings…what could possible happen.

“I understand you have a bag of women’s clothes in your car.” Jack said as she removed her jacket and hung it on the hook by the door. “You’re an investigator, things happen at crime scenes you want to be prepared.”

Gibbs hung his jacket up next to hers.

“But whose clothes are they?” She glanced down at the jeans and white sweater she was wearing.

He shrugged as he walked passed her and towards the kitchen. “One of the ex’s.” Heading to the coffee pot he started a pot of coffee.

“Do you know which one?”

Pausing, he turned and glanced over at her then back to the coffee pot. “Rebecca or Stephanie.” He scooped coffee into the filter. “Diane wasn’t really the jeans kinda woman.”

“Never offered to give them back?” She made her way to the fireplace and started tossing kindling into it.

“Yeah, but they didn’t want to come back for a pair of jeans and a sweater.”

“These are designer, not cheap.”

“Then they were probably Rebecca’s.” Coffee brewing, Gibbs turned towards the living room. The fire was going and she had curled up on one end of the couch.

“So Diane and Rebecca more high maintenance?”

Gibbs shrugged as he dropped down in the center of the couch and put his feet up on the coffee table. He glanced over at her with a smirk. “Aren’t all women high maintenance?”

Her eyebrow went up. “Am I high maintenance?”

He glanced over his shoulder towards the door then looked back at her. 

She quickly followed his gaze and rolled her eyes when she realized what he had looked over at. “Two pairs of shoes and I’m high maintenance?”

His eyebrows went up. 

“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes.

He chuckled. “I didn’t say high maintenance was a bad thing.”

“That’s normally the implication.”

Gibbs shrugged.

“You have your high maintenance things too.” She glanced over at the coffee pot.

“I do.” He nodded in agreement.

“Are you going to show me how you make your coffee?” There was hopefulness in her eyes.

Gibbs leaned into her slightly. “4 quarter cups of fresh dark grounds.” Gibbs smirked. Everyone thought there was some big secret to it all. “I just like it strong.”

“And you let everyone think, including me, there’s some extensive secret to it.” She sighed. “You really are just a simple man with simple wants and needs.”

He turned towards her slightly. He watched as that sultry smirk spread across her face.

“Well simple wants and needs in basic everyday life.” Her hand found its way to the back of his neck and her fingers danced across the nape of his neck.

He welcomed the tender touch of affection feeling the depth of their connection even in the smallest touch. She slid closer and his arm instinctively wrapped around her drawing her closer. Settling against him her head went to his chest her arm around his waist as she snuggled in to him. Staring into the fire, he took a slow deep breath and let the silence envelope them. It was still so strange to him that she was comfortable in the silence, that words weren’t needed, the closeness of their togetherness enough for both of them. And for him it was something he thought he’d never have again...someone that accepted the silence and welcomed it. Gibbs closed his eyes, not tired but content.

For her the silence was different…it was his contentment, knowing he found serenity in her presence with him that made the silence so powerful between them. She hated the silence of being alone, dreaded it, and did everything possible to avoid it. It was one of the things she found so fascinating about him, the fact he could be in the silence alone and feel no fear. His contentment of sharing the silence wasn’t out of fear but an eagerness to share what the silence together offers…welcomed time, closeness, and that connection of what just being in the presence of each other can bring. His slow steady heartbeat against her ear made her heart search for a rhythm matching his. Closing her eyes, she listened until their hearts beat in unison.

##########

She rolled over and took a deep breath the smell of coffee seeping deep into her half-conscious brain. A moment later her eyes popped open. She realizing she was lying on her side and not curled up against a warm body. She stretched her arms above her head and the blanket that had been tossed over her slipped down her chest. Running her hands through her hair she sighed as she rolled onto her back. How the hell had he managed to slip out from their position without her waking up? The thought raced through her mind and she chuckled. He was Gibbs that’s how he did it. She glanced over at the glowing fire and realized it was the only light in the cabin. Sitting up, she glanced around then listened intently for a moment. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she heard the faint creak, creak, so faint that had she not been truly listening she wouldn’t have heard it. Pushing the blanket completely off her she went to the front door and listened again hearing the creak, creak outside the door. Slipping on her heavy boots and her coat she stepped out onto the porch. 

Gibbs glanced over at her as she closed the door behind her. 

“Beautiful night.” She smiled at him.

“Yeah.” He sighed. “Even more beautiful now.” 

The sweet words made her push her hair behind her ears and the smile softened into a look of loving affection. 

“Take a look at the sky.” He tipped his chin towards the porch steps.

She hesitated a moment, but then walked down the steps and into the openness around her. Looking up the sight took her breath away…the clear night sky dotted with what she swore was the most stars she’d ever seen so clearly. “Wow.” It was the only word that came to mind. She couldn’t remember that last time she’d been far enough away from the city lights to really see all the stars in the sky. Being here in the middle of the openness made everything seem clearer, brighter, and bigger to her. When she felt the strain on her neck from looking up, she suddenly reverted to her ten year old self and laid down on the cold ground for a better view. It was beautiful as if she were floating in a sea beneath the stars. She was so enraptured that she didn’t hear or sense the man until he was standing next to her looking down at her with a bewildered expression.

“Come look at the stars with me.” She stretched out her arm upwards. 

He hesitated for a moment and she touched his hand. Less than enthusiastically he lay on the ground next to her.

Entwining their hands, she gazed back up at the stars and felt his hand squeeze hers tightly. She squeezed his hand back as she spoke. “Didn’t you do this as a kid?”

“Yeah.” Gibbs watched his breath appear in the air as he spoke. “Not when it was nineteen degrees out.”

“Doesn’t even feel cold to me.” She had completely forgotten the temperature around her when his hand took hers. “Remember when you were a kid and you could play outside in the freezing cold or blazing heat and never even notice it?” She felt another squeeze of her hand. “That’s what I feel like right now.” She sighed and shook her head. “I don’t feel the cold because I want to have this moment with you…looking at the stars like we’re two kids in love experiencing it for the first time together.” 

Letting go of her hand he rolled on his side and looked down at her.

Her brown eyes met his. “Because experiencing everything with someone you love is like experiencing it for the first time again.” Reaching up her cold hand touched his cheek and it was warmed by the heat of his skin. “You make me feel like the world is full of wonder again, that anything is possible… the way you feel before you realize there are terrible, ugly things and people in this world.”

His lips captured hers, longing to express to her the same sentiment in a kiss. She had made him whole again, made him realize he could love and not forget, and that someone was worth the risk that came with loving so deeply, so completely.

“I lied about one thing.” She bit at her lip.

His brow furrowed.

She shivered. “It’s really cold out here.”

Slipping his arm under her body, he rolled onto his back bringing her with him and on top of his body.

Laughing, she gazed down at him. “Always the gentleman.” 

His hands caress across her backside and then to her hips.

“Your hands are so warm.” She looked at him completely puzzled at the warm that seeped through her clothing. 

Leaving her hips, he let his hands caress up under her jacket and sweater to the bare skin of her back.

She sighed as the heat from his hands warmed her cold back and made her shiver again. “I am really starting to believe there’s some kind of dark magic in you.” She chuckled. “Or you’re going to say I warm you up.”

He shook his head. “Put your hands in my coat pockets.”

Her eyebrow went up. 

He rolled his eyes. “Just do it.”

Slipping her hands in his coat pockets she instantly felt the warm and then her fingers touched the small packets inside. Her eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open.   
“Cheater!” She laughed. “And here I thought you were a rough tough Midwest cowboy and you’re using hand warmers.” 

“The rest of me is warm.” His warm hands caressed up the sides of her body. “Didn’t take hand warmers for that.”

“Oh believe me I can feel how warm you are.” Her own body had started to warm just from the heat radiating from the man below her and she could felt the growing bulge in his jeans. “But if you plan to use that, I’d like to be nice and warm inside.”

“You were fine early in the truck.” His mind flashed back to the moment.

“We weren’t in the truck.” She smirked knowing he was replaying the moment in his mind. “And it was in the moment.” 

“Have to say that was a first for me.” He wasn’t exactly the exhibitionist type. Although he’d picked a road he knew didn’t get much traffic, still being that exposed both physically and emotionally was his normal style. She brought things out in him that he never thought he’d do. 

“Really?” She looked slightly surprised. “I’m glad I can be your first for something.”

He licked his lips realizing all the firsts he wanted to have with her.

“Oh I love that look.” It was the look that told her of endless possibilities. A look that said he would be willing to try with her all the things he’d never allowed himself to admit he wanted or needed with anyone else. “I would do anything for you.”

“Anything?” His fingertips dug into her flesh.

“Well I have a two stipulations, well three with you.”

“Really?” He nodded. “Let me hear it.”

“No third parties involved.” She stared down at him intently.

“Never crossed my mind.” His possessiveness and jealousy would never allow it.

“Using toys when we’re together or when I’m alone, does not mean I am you don’t satisfy me.” She saw the slight smirk on the corner of his lip. 

“I’ll buy you any toy, apparatus, or whatever the hell accessory you want.” Gibbs’ growled at the thought of all the items he’d love to use with her, on her, and watching her use on herself. 

“Oh we are going to have so much fun playing.” She moaned as all the fantasies flashed through her mind. Shaking her head she continued. “And the one specifically because of you.”

“Can’t wait to hear this.” He eyes narrowed slightly.

“I always want to hear your voice.” She purred. “Because I love hearing your voice, the sounds that you make because of what I do to you.”

“That will never be a problem.” He couldn’t even imagine being silent when they made love, at least not the entire time.

“Anything you need to share with me?”

He felt her shiver and arched up and kissed her nose and it was ice cold. “Back inside, you’re freezing.” He let his hands slid out from under her shirt and coat and patted her backside. “You need coffee.”

“Coffee sounds wonderful.” She slid off of him and jumped up offering him a hand as he stood up. It didn’t surprise her when she pulled into his arms. “You didn’t answer my question?”

“Think we covered it.” 

“So no third parties, toys and you want to hear my voice?”

“Yeah.” He sighed.

Staring into the steel blue eyes, the emotion poured from his eyes and she settled against him. “I know.” She didn’t need a plethora of words to know he felt the same was she’d expressed earlier. With Gibbs, his eyes could say it all. “You have said more in these couple days than you’ve said in the years I’ve known you.” Her hands caressed up his chest and around his neck. “So believe me I know how you feel.”

“Doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to hear more.” His eyes searched the pools of brown. 

“And I will…we have time.” She felt her body crushed harder against his body. 

“I just don’t want to waste any more time, I want every moment to count.”

“So do I.” She brushed her lips against his in a tender kiss. We she pulled back in saw the seductive look in her eyes. “Take me inside and warm me up.”

His lips pressed a kiss to her forehead then his arm tightened around her and he bent down.

“Gibbs!” She practically screamed his name in shock as he threw her over his shoulder and started towards the cabin.


	8. Unexpected Company

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few days away, unexpected company, confined quarters, and unexpressed feelings…what could possible happen.

She was laughing as he opened the door and carried her into the cabin. He made his way towards the kitchen and dropped her down on the island counter. Her eyebrow went up. “Going take me right here on the counter?”

He shook his head. “Coffee.” Giving her a quick kiss, he slipped his jacket off and tossed it on the counter and turned to the coffee pot. He poured two cups, picking up one and the sugar container he placed them next to her on the counter. 

Unzipping her coat, she slid it off her arms and laid it on top of his. She poured what seemed like half the sugar container into her coffee and took a sip sighing as the warm liquid hit her stomach.

“Taking sugar again?” He had picked up his coffee and was leaning back against the counter across from her.

She gave him a coy smile. “Noticed that?”

“Yeah.” He took a sip of coffee. “Part of your seduction plan?”

“Sort of.” She held the coffee cup with both hands letting it warm her cold fingers. “I wanted to be able to drink from your thermos.”

Chuckling, he shook his head. 

“I knew you would see it as an intimate exchange.” She smiled. “And you did.”

“I was thinking a lot more.”

“Lime and coconut.” She smirked. “They didn’t have a Bourbon flavor, believe me I looked everywhere.”

He couldn’t help but laugh.

“And the coffee one tasted horrible.”

“You haven’t worn it much.”

She shrugged.

“Again part of the seduction plan.” It wasn’t a question just a statement he made.

“Sort of. I wear it now and then, even before the seduction plan.” She rolled her eyes. “Although it wasn’t a plan, just a finally tell you how I feel opportunity. Seduction is just a natural part of it.”

“Leon knows.” He said took a sip of coffee.

“I never told him but-.” She paused. “Does that bother you?”

“No.” He shook his head. “Just makes it easier when we tell him.”

“We’re telling Leon?” Her eyebrow went up.

“Regulations.”

“Regulations.” She bit back a smile and sipped her coffee. “You just want to see his reaction because you know he’s going to win the pool.”

He cocked his head and looked at her with a hint of surprise and pride that she knew about the pool.

“Please.” She rolled her eyes. “Not like they were exactly subtle about the whole thing.” 

Gibbs snickered. “Subtlety not exactly my team’s strong suit.”

She grinned at him. “You know Bishop started that pool.”

“Well that’s your fault.” He balked.

“My fault? Why is it my fault?” She snapped at him.

“You being all touchy feely with my jacket lapel that day in the bullpen.” He balked. “Of course she thought something was going on.”

“Please, like that was the most overt thing I did over these last few years.”

“No but it was the one she saw.”

“Ahh.” Her face lit up and she pointed at him. “I knew you noticed.”

He took the couple steps towards her stopping in front of her. “I noticed.” Sitting the coffee cup down next to her, he placed his hands on the counter on either side of her legs. “I noticed every touch.” His hands touched her legs. “Every look, every sigh-” His hands caressed up her thighs. “Every sharp intake of breath.” His lips brushed against the side of her neck and he heard her breath catch and her leg muscles tightened. He kissed up to her ear. “I noticed all of it.” 

“Yet you never touched me, except on Christmas Eve. Why?” She asked in a breathless voice, knowing he had to have his own reasons for never accepting what he knew was there between them.

He drew back looking into the already dilated brown eyes. “Because after Christmas Eve I knew if I let myself touch you, I wouldn’t be able to stop. I’d already let you get to close.”

Her legs parted and he stepped between then. “And all I wanted was to be closer.” She sighed. “I still want to be closer.” She shook her head. “Closer emotional and physically, it will never be enough.”

“Never enough.” He placed at kiss on her throat just above the neckline of the sweater. “It will never be enough when it comes to you.” And it was the truth. She’d become like a drug, one hit and he was addicted. He craved just being in her presence, having her close and the craving in be with her was a ravenous need he’d never experienced before. Brushing the sweater off her shoulder he kissed cross the bare skin to her neck savoring the taste of her. 

“Addiction doesn’t have to be negative.” She watched as he drew back and his eyes locked with hers. 

It still amazed and frightened him how well she could read him sometimes. She was one of the few.

“There are positive addictions.” She smiled as her fingers combed through the silver hair at his temple. “William Glasser wrote a book about it, about how positive addictions strengthen us and makes our lives more satisfying.”

His hands caressed around her body to the small of her back. This was another thing he loved about her, her intellect. 

She explained further seeing that he was interested. “He applied it to exercise and meditation, but other researchers have applied the concept to different things.” 

“And this, us, is this a positive addiction?” He was surprised when she hesitated and his heart skipped a beat concerned for what she would say when she finally spoke. 

“It’s taken us both a long time to let someone in, to trust, to love and be loved again, and we denied those feelings for a long time.” She took a deep breath and let it out. “That’s a powerful cocktail for anyone to drink.”

His eyes narrowed. “You’re avoiding the question.” 

“No.” She shook her head. “I’m trying to explain an ambiguous answer.”

“You have to answer for it to be ambiguous.” His gaze bore into her.

“I just understand the psychology of how easy it is for a positive addiction to become a negative addiction. And the struggle that sometimes takes place to avoid that situation.” She shrugged. “That’s all.”

“So who are you worried about? Me or you?” As the question fell from his lips he instantly saw her reaction, it was subtle...a slight fall of the shoulders, a pause in her breathing, a quick clearing of her throat. 

She knew her body had involuntarily reacted, knew he saw it and denying she was the one she was worried about wasn’t an option. 

He gently tugged her closer and her knees pressed tightly against his hips. “What worries you?”

Her hand went to his chest and her fingers toyed with the top button as her eyes drifted downward to stare at what her fingers were doing. Sharing her fears was not something she did, except in therapy, and even that was difficult. Taking a deep breath she brought her gaze back up meeting his. “We’re in a bubble right now, in this overwhelming blissful oblivion where there’s no responsibility, no work, no one to interfere… nothing but us.” She sighed. “Things changes when we leave this bubble.”

“We’ll make it work.” It was the only thing he could think to say.

“You’re better at that than I am.”

Gibbs brow furrowed. 

“You compartmentalize relationships, especially work relationships…I can’t do that.” She had never been good at that.

“I’m not asking you to.” Gibbs quickly added.

“I know.” She gave him a half smile. “But it’s different for me. I’ve never-” Her gaze faltered and she was suddenly staring at his chest again.

He put his finger under her chin and brought her gaze back to his. “Finish it.” 

She swallowed the fear of what she was about to admit. “I’ve never loved someone like I love you, trusted someone as much as I trust you, or-” She hesitated pushing down the fear. “Needed someone as much as I need you. Need in every sense of the word...emotionally-” She bite at her bottom lips. “And physically.” The constant need for him already had her body humming and her thinking about all the ways he could have her on the counter. “It’s overwhelming and something completely new for me.” 

“And if I told you I need you just as much?” His eyes searched hers. “Would it make you feel any better?”

She shook her head. 

“What can I do?” His question was heartfelt. He truly wanted to calm her worries and fears.

She bit her tongue holding back the erotic thoughts of what she’d like to tell him he could do to her. 

“Besides keep you satisfied.” He smirked knowing what she was thinking.

“I honestly don’t know.” Even with all her education there was no way to know how she’d deal with their relationship once they were back at work and back in the “real world” of everyday life. She sighed heavily. “All I can do is process once we’re back in our everyday life and see what happens.”

“We will work on it together.”

She looked at him a moment. “How was it when you worked with Director Shepard?”

“My relationship with Jenny was long before she was director.” 

She noticed the tightening of his lips. “But you were agents together when you were romantically involved.”

He shrugged. “We were undercover.”

“Right, Paris the city of love.”

“Paris, Serbia, Italy, and London.” He paused. “Which I’m sure you read in my file.”

“I’m required to read pretty much everyone’s file.” She raised an eyebrow. “Part of the job description.”

“Pretty sure my relationship with Jenny isn’t in there.” 

“No.” Her answer was short and to the point. She didn’t need to explain to him the rumor mill of NCIS; especially when it came to do with anything pertaining to the great Leroy Jethro Gibbs. 

He knew she honestly wanted to know how he had handled it and how he had truly felt about Jenny, but he hated talking about his past…especially mistakes. Jenny had definitely been one of his mistakes. He was horrible at this part, his natural reaction always to shut down and shut people out, but she would never allow that. And the truth was he didn’t want to be like that anymore, she’d opened him up again, but old habits die hard. Taking a deep breath he drew his body upright, his hands moving gently from her back to her hips as he tried to explain. “It was complicated…and difficult-” He thought back to that time so long ago. “I loved her, but I wouldn’t let myself fall in love with her and that ultimately ended it.”

“She wanted more.” She could feel the hurt and regret emanating from him.

“Yeah.” 

“You regret it…not the relationship, but that you couldn’t let yourself fall in love with her.” She didn’t need a response to know she was right. 

“I’ve made a lot of mistakes, she was one of them.” 

Her hands caressed up his arms. “That’s why you held back with me.”

“I didn’t want to make another mistake, especially with you.” He let his hands caress around her body and tugged her closer to him. “Even when I realized I was in love with you, it was still hard to believe you could love me too.”

She shook her head. “And I was thinking the same thing.” She sighed as her hands snaked around his neck. “How could this amazing man possible fall in love with me?”

“We’ll make it work, outside this bubble, whatever it takes, for both of us.” His lips brushed against hers. “I love you and I’ve waited too long for you to ever give that up without one hell of a fight.”

Her eyes were filled with happy tears as she smiled at him and let her fingers dance against the nape of his neck. “Believe me nothing and no one could ever change how I feel about you.” She blew out a long breath. “The worries and fears I have are about control, controlling the love and need I have for you because it runs so deep and so strong.”

“Controlled chaos.”

She grinned at the use of the words he had spoken before. Saying he’d been in a state of controlled chaos since they’d met. “Well that is something I will work on.” She pressed her body against his, her breast against his chest, her legs wrapping around his hips as her fingers combed through his silver hair. “Maybe you could give me some lessons on that Sensei.”

“Not sure I’m in a position to give you a lesson on that right now.” His fingertips dug into the small of her back.

“How did you control yourself at Christmas?”

He chuckled. “By removing myself from your personal space and putting as much distance as possible between us.”

“Okay.” She went to pull away and his hands clawed up her back crushing her tightly against him. An ornery grin spread across her face. “And what should I do if I can’t remove myself from your personal space?”

“Give in.” That playful smirk curled up on the corners of his lips.

She laughed. “Oh if only you had taken that advice on Christmas.”

“I’d have taken you against the boat.”

“Oh I am so looking forward to that when we get home.” She said licking her lips.

“So am I.” His voice was almost a growl. 

“Enough talking.” Her hands fought their way between their bodies ripping the button open on his jeans and unzipping them. Not bothering with his jeans she yanked the front of the boxers down enough to let his hard cock spring free. Then her eyes locked on his. “Fuck me.” Her choice of words, spoken with an urgency and demanding tone told him exactly what she wanted.

His eyes narrowed as he accepted and reveled in giving her exactly what she wanted. Pushing her further from him, his hands tore open her jeans. Her hands went back on the counter as she lifted her backside so he could pull them down her legs. She kicked them off her body and he was already pulling the sweater over her head as she tightened her legs around him. Her shirt tossed aside, she wrapped her arms around his neck as she was lifted from the counter and he spun around. 

The air rushed from her lungs as she was shoved against the refrigerator pinned between it and his body. His eyes locked on hers for a moment before his head dipped down and his lips attacked her throat. Her head went back and she whimpered feeling his cock pressing against her and desperately wanting him inside her. Trying to push her body upwards, she struggled to bring herself down on his cock, but he pressed her body harder against the fridge.

He rubbed the length of his cock against as his lips brushed against her ear. “Soaking wet.” His words were a growl of wanton need. “Desperate for my cock inside you.”

“God yes.” She groaned as she wiggled her body against him. “Fuck me.” She was begging now, her body shivering with anticipation. “Please fuck me.” God she already wanted to come, the emotional connection between them only heightening the physical yearning surging through her. She whimpered as she felt his left hand clutch at her hip, his right hand leaving her body, and then her mouth dropped open as she felt the head of his cock slip between her lips. His right hand returned to her other hip as he held her body, slowly, inch by agonizing inch, letting her body engulf his cock. “Fuck yes!” Her eyes closed as she let the sensation of his cock filling her course through ever nerve in her body.

He felt her fingertips clawing into his neck, her body trembling against his, and he knew her mind already wanted to surrender. Pulling his cock almost completely out of her he slammed back into her and she cried out. He loved the sounds she made and he repeated the act wanting to hear her again. Suddenly he let out a guttural groan as she tightened around him drawing him even deeper and with that he took her losing himself in her body. 

Her entire being had already given in drowning in the sea of pleasure coursing through her. There was nothing but them, their connection, and the ecstasy that encapsulated them. She knew he was speaking, short phrases about his want, his need, and his love of her. Her fingertips tore at the flesh of his neck, unaware of their actions, but moved by the depth of his words. Her body was shoved upward with each thrust of his cock inside her and she pleaded for more. And he answered every one of her pleas, harder and faster he took her, his fingers somehow now rubbing her clit and sending her spiraling further out of control. Suddenly screams of pleasure filled the air around her, but it wasn’t till she screamed his name that she realized the screams were coming from her. The world behind her closed eyes exploded in a flash of brilliant colors as she came. Then the colors started to fade and the world started to turn to black as she heard him cry out like some wild animal as he came filling her with his release. Her exhausted body crumbled against him, trusting, knowing, he would catch her.

##########

“I need a new couch for my office.” She said as her fingers played with the silver hairs on his chest. Somehow he had managed to get them to the couch, remove his own clothes, and cover them with the blanket.

“Why?” He asked eyes closed, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist.

“Because I want us to be able to make love on it and fall asleep.” She picked her head up from off his chest and looked up at him. His one eye opened and his eyebrow went up. 

“Believe me I have thought of all kind of ways to change your mind about sex at work.” She grinned then put her head back down on his chest.

His eye closed again and he took a deep breath letting it out slowly. He had no doubt whatever temptation she had thought up would be his downfall. Involuntarily he smiled.  
Even without seeing it she knew he smiled, knew eventually he would give in to her, reluctantly at first and then accepting it whole-heartily, embracing it, and she already loved him even more for it.

“You realize there are cameras almost everywhere in that building.” He said it without opening his eyes.

“I know.” She wrapper her arm around him and kissed his chest. “And I also know you know every place that does have a camera and how to avoid the ones that are there.” She felt her head rise and fall slightly as he snickered. “Then there’s the director’s office.” She sighed. “Doesn’t Leon have any trips planned where you get to be acting director for a few days?” She heard his heart skip a beat and she grinned to herself. Then she gasped as she felt his hand gently smack her butt. “Do you want to spank me and make me call you Director Gibbs?” Her eyes went wide as he slipped out from under her and jerked her against him suddenly kissing her playfully. Her laughter filled the room as he teased her and continued to laugh, a laughter she hadn’t allowed herself since she was a young girl…the laughter of happiness, contentment, and truly loving the person you are with.


	9. Unexpected Company

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few days away, unexpected company, confined quarters, and unexpressed feelings…what could possible happen.

Sitting on the couch she stared into the fire watching the flames as they continued to eat away at the piece of wood Gibbs had thrown on before they’d went to bed. She was surprised that she had been able to convince him to go to the actual bed to sleep, however sleep wasn’t really what happened. They’d made love again and again, until they’d both surrendered to sleep. However what surprised her even more is that she was able to disentangle herself from him without waking him up. Evidently sexual exhaustion was the only thing that could make the great Gibbs sleep deeply. 

Taking a sip of the lukewarm coffee, she made a face of slight disgust and sat it down on the coffee table. She didn’t want to make coffee and wake up Gibbs so she just turned on the coffee pot and warmed up what was left. Snuggling deeper into the blanket she had wrapped around her she let her gaze scan slowly around the dimly lit room. She loved it here, the remoteness, the peacefulness, the simplicity, even the cold. It had been years since she’d gotten away from everything, work, the phone, and the hustle and bustle of whatever city she’d happen to be living in. She smiled to herself thinking about future trips here, how they’d decide to just get away for a few days, a week and come here to their own little hideaway. 

Biting at her lower lip, she thought about the odd conversation they’d had the morning after they made love. The one where she’d inadvertently made it sound like she wanted them to live together. Did she want that? Part of her did, she could see it, picture Sunday morning together curled up on the couch, snuggled against each other…yet it also scared her shitless. She’d never lived with anyone, a roommate here and there, but never someone she was involved with. None of her relationships had been that serious or lasted that long. Now here she was in love with a man, deeply and truly in love, and unsure of how their future would play out. They hadn’t talked about the future, they were to intensely connected to the here and now, basking in finally being together, and making up for the time they’d waste to really be concerned with the future. They’d talked about her worries about work, but they were just concerns, nothing about how their relationship would actually progress.   
Countless questions raced through her mind. Did Gibbs think about living together? If he did, would they stay in the house? Would they keep separate places, stay at her place some nights, his place other nights, both still having their own space? Did he ever think about getting married again? Not that she was asking, but would he even consider it after three divorces? What did he want when he retired? Did he want to stay in DC, run off to Mexico again, Stillwater, or someplace she didn’t know he’d even considered? What did she want? She loved her independence, her own place and her own rules. If they did live together, would she be comfortable living in his house…a house full of memories that she wasn’t part of. Could they make new memories that would help soften the sadness of the past? Did she even want to get married? It had never been high on her priority list. What did she want when she retired? 

She blew out a long breath. The truth was at this point the only part of her future she cared about was having Gibbs in it. She suddenly chuckled and shook her head. Why the hell was she even worrying about any of this? Why, because she’d never been in this situation before and it had her completely discombobulated. She was a walking hormone, a love sick school girl, a woman utterly in love, and blissful happy about it all. Running her hands through her hair she chuckled again. This is what love felt like and she’d almost forgotten. Love can be consuming, worrying, and blissful all at the same time. And even with her degrees, it didn’t change the fact she experienced it all as if she knew nothing of the psychology of love at all. The heart, the mind, when they’re in love they do what they damn well please.

Slipping out of the blanket she padded quietly to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. She shut the door and smiled as the image of earlier flashed through her mind. Shaking her head, she pushed it away feeling her body start to hum with the memory of being thrust against the fridge door. She took the two steps to the kitchen sink and glanced out the window, the sun was just starting to emerge above the horizon. Trying to be quiet she made her way over to the half open bedroom door and peeked inside. Gibbs was lying on his back, blanket still draped over most of his body, one arm above his head the other still out to the side as if expecting her to be beside him. Smiling contently, she stepped back and pulled the door almost closed then headed back to the kitchen.

She stood at the counter a minute and looked at the coffee pot. First time making coffee for Gibbs. He’d said there was no secret to the coffee, but somehow she thought there was some kind of magic behind the way he ground the beans or in what order he actually preformed the task. Could making a good pot of coffee make or break a relationship? She somehow thought with Gibbs it could. She wondered if Shannon had perfected making his coffee. Rolling her eyes, she grabbed the bag of coffee beans out of the cabinet. There was that crazy love thing again. Worrying about whether being able to make Gibbs coffee the way he liked would change how he felt about her. 

“It’s just coffee.”

She jumped at the words spoken behind her, spinning around to find Gibbs a few steps behind her. “Right, just coffee.” She nodded clearing her throat. Of course he was already dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt. “Maybe you should just make it.”

He shook his head then his eyes leered down her body. She was wearing his shirt from last night and he was sure there was nothing else under it.

“Fine.” Taking a deep breath she turned around ignoring the familiar hum within her body at his presence. Pulling the pot from the coffee maker she filled the pot from the tap and then poured it into the machine.

“I have a filtration system on the water here; otherwise I’d use the bottled.”

She glanced back over her shoulder at him. “Another little tidbit you left out.”

He just rolled his eyes.

As she pulled the grinder forward on the counter she opened the bag of coffee beans. Suddenly goose bumps rose up on her flesh as she felt the body against her back. “You know I have never ground my own coffee.” 

“Definitely tastes better when you do.” 

She picked up the quarter cup scoop and dipped it into the bag, then poured the beans into the grinder, repeating the process three times as he had told her yesterday. 

“Grinder is already set. Just turn it on.” He let his arms snake around her waist as she turned on the grinder. “It will stop when it’s done” His lips brushed a kiss to the side of her neck.

“Fancy little grinder.” She sighed as she settled back against his body and her eyes closed.

“Burr grinder.” His lips brushed against her cheek just as the grinder shut off. “Filter is already in the basket.

Slowly opening her eyes, she pulled out the plastic container at the bottom of the grinder, opened the top of the coffee pot and poured it in. Closing the lid she turned on the coffee pot and again settled back against his body.

“That simple.” He said with another kiss to her neck.

She sighed. “Is making coffee always this erotic?”

His lips touched the shell of her ear. “I think you’re just easily aroused.”

Laughing, she turned around in his arms. “I think it had something to do with the man behind me.” Her arms slipped around his neck. 

“I don’t care if you can make coffee.”

Her eyebrow went up. “How long were you standing there?”

He didn’t answer just kissed her forehead.

“What’s on the agenda for today?” She asked smiling up at him.

He shrugged his shoulders. “Didn’t have anything planned.”

“What do you usually do when you come here?”

“Read, go to the bar, sit outside.” He chuckled. “Go to a diner.”

“I brought a book.”

His eyebrow went up.

“I figured if I chickened out and didn’t tell you how I felt I’d have some time on my hands.”

Gibbs smirked. “Glad you didn’t chicken out.”

“Me too.” 

He tugged her closer. “There’s the apple festival if you wanna go.”

“Apple festival. There’s an apple festival and you didn’t tell me! Of course I want to go.” She smiled at him.

“Small town.”

“Right.” She nodded. “So we’re going to run into a lot of people you know.”

“Probably.” 

Her smile turned to a grin as she asked the question he’d asked her last night. “Who are you worried about me or you?”

“Both.” He winked at her.

“Well I’ve said it before I can handle it.”

“Everybody already knows.” He knew how quickly gossip traveled around this town.

“Good.” She ran her fingers through the silver hair on the back of his head. “Then if we run into any old girlfriends they’ll know to back off.”

“Not many of those around.” He chuckled.

“I’m sure there’s plenty of women out there that had a crush on your or wanted to go out with you.”

“Maybe.” His hands caressed up her back. “Going to show me that possessive jealous side of you that you talked about?”

She just shrugged. “So when can we go?”

He glanced out the window at the sun halfway up in the sky. “An hour or so.”

“Good, because I’m hungry.” Her hands cascaded down his chest.

“Want me to make something?”

She shook her head as her fingers found his belt buckle and unbuckled it then popped the button on his jeans. “Food will definitely not take care of the craving I have.”

He saw her brown eyes dilate as her fingers slowly unzipped his pants; his already hard cock begging to be freed. 

Pushing the boxers down his cock sprang free as she licked her lips. He leaned forward to kiss her when she suddenly dropped to her knees. Unceremoniously, she grabbed the base of his cock and licked at the head. 

“Jack.” The name came out as a low growl as his hands clutched at the edge of the counter.

Glancing up at him, she saw the blatant want in the blue eyes and without looking away she sucked the head of his cock between her lips.

His body shook as her lips closed around him and she licked and sucked at the head of his cock. It instantly made him flash back to the countless times he’d watched her suck on a lollipop and her statement about her oral fixation. Ripping his right hand from the counter, his hand gently stroked over her head and down the blond locks of hair. “All those times I watched you suck on those lollipops wishing it was my cock.” He groaned as her lips slid slightly further down the length of his cock. “You did it just to taunt me.” Staring down at her he saw the answer in her eyes. “I jacked off so many time thinking about you.” He felt her hand claw up his jean covered thigh. “About you begging to suck my dick.” His mouth fell open, his eyes closed as she impaled herself to the base of his cock. “Fuck.” The air rushed from his lungs as she started bobbing over his length. He knew the words would spur her on, knew she loved the idea that he had touched himself thinking about her and the truth was he had countless times. But the reality was so much better than any fantasy he’d had. He involuntary let out a moan as she again reached the base of his cock and paused a moment before drawing back and continuing her assault. God it felt so good and his control was starting to falter. His body was starting to tremble and he could feel the ache of release at the base of his spine. Desperately, he tried to take a deep breath only to have her suddenly start licking at the head of his cock again. He let out an animalistic howl as his fingers knotted in the hair on the back of her head and she slid back down his length.

She listened to ever sound he made, the way his body responded to her touch, remembering every reaction to draw out his pleasure. Her body was already overcome with desire; her thighs were clenched tightly together holding back the wetness, her nipples hard peaks, and her entire body flushed with warmth. The words he spoke the sounds he made only made her want and need him more. She knew he was close, could feel his body tensing up, his fingers in her hair tightening but not pushing, as she increased her efforts.

He lost any ability to speak or think except about her and the need she had created within him. Even in a moment like this she could silence the world around him so that he was consumed with nothing but her. It was that knowledge that thought that sent him of the edge. The release surged through him without his consent, overwhelming him and shattering the world around him into minute shards around him. Yet she continued, taking everything he offered her, drawing out the pleasure coursing through him. It wasn’t until the muscles in his body started to relax and his cock went completely limp that she removed herself from him and glided back up his body. 

His body was slumped against the counter, his eyes still closed and his chest was rising and falling in quick shallow breathes. He stood there for a few moments trying to calm himself to a point where he at least felt stable on his feet before slowly opening his eyes. His hand shot out latching onto the side of her neck as he crushed their lips together, devouring her, tasting himself on her and swallowing the moan that rose from deep inside her. 

Suddenly she was off the ground, her legs wrapping around his waist, her arms around his neck as he carried her towards the bedroom. She ripped their lips apart. “What about the coffee?”


	10. Unexpected Companyc

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few days away, unexpected company, confined quarters, and unexpressed feelings…what could possible happen.

He walked into the bedroom carrying two cups of coffee. Sitting on the edge of the bed next to her, she pushed herself up against the headboard as he held one out to her. She took a sip just as he did and she watched his face for any reaction. Nothing, just steel blue eyes staring back at her. He took another sip then smirked. “Perfect.”

She smiled proudly as his hand caressed her leg through the sheet covering her body. Taking another sip of her own coffee she chuckled as she sat the cup down on the nightstand. “Although I’m not sure if you’re being honest or still in the blissful afterglow and not wanting to hurt my feelings with the truth.”

“It’s fine.” He said with a roll of his eyes as he placed his cup next to hers on the nightstand.

“Now it’s just fine?” Her eyebrows went up.

He slid upwards towards her. “Perfect, amazing, wonderful.” His hand caressed over the sheet and up her ribcage. “Beautiful, intelligent, sexy, witty, alluring.” 

Reaching out, her hand caressed his cheek then cascaded down to his flannel covered chest. “Wow you really do love your coffee.”

His eyes narrowed and he leaned forward his lips gently caressing hers. “I wasn’t talking about the coffee.”

“Keep talking like that we won’t be going anywhere.” She sighed, a contemplative sigh, a sigh that said she knew how easy it would be to just draw him to her and for them to get lost in each other again.

He kissed her forehead knowing exactly what she was thinking. “Get dressed, layers, suns out but it’s still cold.” 

“Okay.”

“We don’t want to miss the first few presses.” He saw her brow furrow. “First presses of the apples, they are always the best.”

“Please tell me they have hot apple cider.” She brushed the sheet from her body.

“The best.” He gave her a smile before turning and heading for the door.

“Gibbs.” She said his name just as he reached the threshold. She heard him take a deep breath and glance back. 

He answered her question before she asked it. “If I stay in here while you get dressed, we won’t make it to the apple fest.” He watched as the soft warm smile played across her lips. 

##########  
Her hand was in his, her arm wrapped around his as they strolled through the festival crowd towards a large building off to the right side. He’d taken her hand almost the moment she’d stepped out of the truck and she’d slid her arm through his wanting the closeness and the warmth. His statement earlier was right, the sun was shining down but the air was cold and when the wind blew the bitter chill made her shiver. 

When they reached the front of the building she realized it was a converted barn or storage building of some kind. It was white and the front had three garaged doors that were probably left open when the weather was warmer. There was a glass door to the left that had a welcome sign hanging on it and she could hear machinery in the back ground and voices coming from somewhere behind the structure. As they made the way to the door, Gibbs let go of her hand and held the door open for her. As soon as the door opened she smelled it…the heavenly scent of warm apple pie, spices, and the faint hint of wood. Taking another deep breath her eyes closed and she felt the arms envelope her from behind.

“What sounds good?” He asked his lips almost touching her ear.

“Everything.” She said letting out a sigh and hearing him chuckle softly. Her eyes opened and she looked around through the throng of people. There was shelving, tables, refrigerators, and coolers throughout the area. A long counter ran across the length of the building towards the back. Several people rushed back and forth handing people gallon jugs of cider, boxes of pies, bags of apples, and countless other items. She watched captivated by the dance they performed as if they’d performed the ritual countless times. Which she was sure they had. 

“We need to grab a number.” As Gibbs said the words a number rang out 152.

She glanced back over her shoulder at him in awe of the high number.

“There were probably fifty people waiting outside before they opened.” Letting his arms fall from her body, he walked over and grabbed a number as she looked at a shelf full of apple butter and apple jam. 

She sensed his presence the moment he was behind her and she leaned gently back against him. “So apple butter or jam?”

“Neither, I prefer grape jam.”

She laughed. “Of course you do.” Turning around she smiled at him as her hand found his again. “So what number are we?” 

He held up the scrap of paper. 

“Wow busy place.” She said as she read number 164.”

“They’re quick.” He said closing his hand tighter around hers and pulling her towards a table. 

As they drew nearer the apple pie smell became more intense and she saw rows of pies lining the table. They were six inch pies so full that the lids wouldn’t even close on the boxes that held them.

“Wow, now that’s a pie.”

“No, that’s a small pie.” Gibbs tipped his head back behind the counter to the rows of pies lined up behind the people working. “That’s a full size pie.”

She looked at the endless rows of pies, again in boxes with lids that wouldn’t close. One of the workers grabbed a couple pies and within seconds another worker appeared to replace the ones that had been sold. “We need like four of those.”

“Hey I can only down about half a pie, you gonna eat the rest of those.” He chuckled.

“We keep up the pace we have been, I could eat three pies.” She grinned and felt the hand slip around her waist and pull her close.

“Sex does make you hungry.” Gibbs spoke the words softly.

“Yes, it does.” She leaned in about to kiss him when…

“Number 164.”

“That’s us!” She pulled back and jumped causing him to shake his head and chuckle as she started to practically drag him towards the counter. “That’s us.” Jack repeated as she reached the counter and an older woman smiled at her. The woman seemed like the perfect grandmother type, her white hair cut to just above her shoulders and freshly curled. She had on a red sweat shirt with a smiling apple on the front, that all the people working there seemed to be wearing, with black pants and red tennis shoes...and of course an apron around her waist with little red and green apples all over it.

“Oh this must be your first time.” The smile widened. “I can always tell.”

“It is my first time, not his.” She pulled Gibbs up to her side and the women behind the counter’s mouth fell open.

The woman reached out and grabbed the arm of a younger woman that was a few steps from her. “Jessi get your father, I must be having a stroke. I’m seeing visions.” The young girl looked across the counter and saw Gibbs and rolled her eyes.

“Mom I told you I saw him drive into town.” Jessi smiled at Gibbs. “He’s in town at this time every year.”

“Yes, but not at the festival.” She looked at Gibbs still in shock. 

“Good to see you Bea.” Gibbs gave her a half smile.

“Good to see you…Good to see you!” Her voice got louder as she shook her head, pulled off her apron, tossed it on the table and made her way around the counter.

Jack’s eyebrows went up as she watched the woman come around the end of the counter and towards them. She took a step to the right giving the woman a straight shot to the Gibbs.

Bea walked up and stood toe to toe with Gibbs. She looked him up and down then looked up at him from her five foot two frame. Her hands shot up and she grabbed his face with both hands, pulled him down and kissed both of his cheeks. 

Jack couldn’t help but smile as Gibbs kissed the woman’s forehead. 

“We’ve missed you Jethro.” Bea sighed heavily still holding Gibbs’ face and taking in the man before her as if she still believed he was a vision of her imagination.

He nodded unsure of what to say.

Bea patted his cheeks, knowing he was a man of few works. “What finally brought you to the festival?” 

Gibbs tipped his chin towards Jack and Bea turned towards the woman.

Bea took the woman in with a dose of skepticism. “You actually got him to come out of the damn cabin and be amongst people.” She held up her hand with her pointer finger extended knowing Gibbs was about to speak. “The bar doesn’t count and eating alone at the diner in Greenwood isn’t being amongst people.” 

Jack pursed her lips to hide the laughter. “Jacqueline Sloane, and please call me Jack” She extended her hand and Bea took it looking her up and down as if appraising her.

“Jack?” Bea looked at Gibbs and chuckled. “Oh bet your dad is loving that one.”

“Sure he is.” Gibbs smirked.

“This is amazing. Jethro hasn’t been to the Apple Festival since-” Bea caught herself before the names fell from her lips. She cleared her throat. “For a long time.”

Jack looked at Gibbs then back at Bea. “Shannon and Kelly, I know their names.” 

Bea’s head went back and she looked dumbfounded.

“What is it?” Jack watched as Bea’s eyes softened and glistened as tears pooled at the corners of her eyes. Bea suddenly hugged her and although taken by surprise, Jack hugged her back looking over at Gibbs for some insight into the older woman’s actions.

Bea pulled back and turned to Gibbs staring into the steely blue eyes. That one look from Gibbs told her everything she needed to know. She embraced him tightly. 

He instantly wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. She whispered words against his jacket covered chest, words she knew he would hear. “I know Bea.” He   
hugged the older woman tightly. “I know.”

She let him go and wiped away the tears that finally fell. Patting Gibbs’ cheek, she smiled then turned to Jack taking the younger woman’s hand in hers and patting it gently. 

“Where you from Jack?” Bea asked.

“California.”

“Oh, tsk, tsk.” Bea shook her head. “We’ll try to forgive that since you obviously served our country proudly. Could tell by the handshake. Marines?”

“No, Army and-”

“Should have known it would take a military woman.” Again Bea patted Jack’s hand. “So how long have you two been together?”

Jack’s mouth opened and she saw Gibbs give her a look. “Not long, but we’ve known each other a few years.”

“Friends before lovers.” Bea nodded as she squeezed Jack’s hand tightly. “Makes for a strong intense relationship.”

“Yes it does.” Both women looked over at Gibbs as he spoke.

“Takes a lot to get through that thick hide.” Bea smiled. “But it’s worth it.” She shook her head. “He’s just like his father.”

“I wish I could have met Jack.” Jack smiled.

“Oh just like this one.” Bea tipped her head towards Gibb. “Stubborn as a mule, the biggest heart, and those damn steely blue eyes.” Bea grinned. “But I’m sure you already know all that.”

Jack smiled and nodded.

“So you ever been married?” Bea asked Jack.

Jack’s eyes went wide and her mouth opened slightly. “Umm no.”

“Really?” Bea looked at Jack completely surprised. “Beautiful girl like you.” She watched for a reaction from Jack but the younger woman just smiled. “Well I’d like to say you started with an easy one, but honey this one will be a challenge every day of your life.” Her smile turned to a grin. “But that can lead to its own rewards.”

Jack couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes it can.”

“Okay.” Bea squeezed Jack’s hand. “We need to get you two some pie and cider and you need to meet Bill.”

“Bill?”

“My husband.” Bea wrapped her hand around Jack’s and started to pull Jack towards the end of the counter. 

Jack glanced back at Gibbs and he just shrugged with a grin. When they reached the end of the counter, Bea led Jack around the counter towards the back counter with all the pies.   
Jack stood next to the older woman who pointed to a pie and spoke.

“Do you love him?” Bea squeezed Jack’s hand tightly.

“With all my heart and soul.” Jack continued to stare at the pies knowing Bea wanted it to look like they were just talking about the pies.

“Good.” Bea nodded letting go of Jack’s hand and pulling a pie forward. “Because he obviously loves you.”

“He does, I have no doubts.”

Bea looked over at her and smiled an odd smile laced with sadness. “It’s taken a lifetime for him to get over the past.”

“I know.” 

“And he helped you get over your own past.” Bea could see it in the woman’s eyes.

Jack swallowed hard and nodded.

“Sometimes it takes two broken people to love each other enough to bring all those broken pieces back together again.”

“That’s a perfect metaphor.” Jack smile.

“So are living together, talking about marriage.”

“Um…” Jack chuckled. “I think it’s a little early of all that.”

Bea’s brow furrowed. “You love each other, time doesn’t matter.”

“Well I think Gibbs is probably a little gun shy on the marriage idea.”

Bea waved her hand. “When it’s right past mistakes don’t matter.”

Jack just smiled and nodded.

“Maybe you’re a little scared to pull that trigger.” Bea’s eyebrow went up.

Jack shoved her hands in her pockets. “We’re just not in any hurry.” She probably should have just said we just professed our love for each other a few days ago, maybe that would have been easier to understand.

Bea shook her head and laughed. “Okay I’ll stop being the nosy busy body.”

“It’s okay really.” Jack chuckled.

“Just nice to finally see Jethro happy again.” Bea couldn’t help but smile.

“He makes me very happy too.”

“I can tell.” The smile turned to a grin. “You’ve been stealing glances at him the whole time we’ve been standing here.”

Jack tucked her hair behind her ears as she felt as if she was blushing. Having spent the last few day’s bodies entwined making love or near each other, suddenly not having him next to her made her heart beat erratically and her body crave his touch. 

Bea glanced over at Gibbs who was now talking to a couple that had approached him. “Oh lord, go on and save him or he’ll be stuck there talking to Mark and Kim forever.” 

Jack looked over and saw the man and woman talking away as Gibbs politely nodded and smiled.

“I’ll keep everything at the counter here for you. When the two of you are ready to leave just stopped by and pick it up.”

“Thank you.” Jack leaned in and hugged the woman. 

“Oh you’re welcome.” Bea hugged her back. “Take good care of each other.”

“We will.” Jack smiled pulling back.

“And next time you two are in town we’ll have you over for dinner.”

“I would love that.” Jack squeezed Bea’s hand.

“Go.” Bea patted Jack’s hand.

Heading back around the counter, Jack approached the three talking people with a sense of urgency. Gibbs immediately turned towards her as she reached his side.

“Bea said Bill wants to talk to you out back.” Jack smiled at the couple. “Sorry to interrupt.”

“You must be Jack.” The woman smiled at her.

“Jack, Mark and Kim.” Gibbs gave a brief introduction.

“Pleasure to meet you, but I’m afraid I need to steal him away.” Jack took Gibbs’ hand. 

“Of course, I’m sure everyone is eager to see this one.” Mark tipped his chin towards Gibbs.

“They are.” Jack smiled. “Again pleasure to meet you.” Pulling Gibbs towards the front door she didn’t stop until they had exited the building. Once outside, she felt the arm around her waist and her body pulled gently back against his.

“Thanks.” Gibbs whispered as he placed a soft kiss on the side of her neck.

“Bea thought you might need saving.”

“Yeah.” He sighed holding her tighter.

Leaning back against his solid form, her eyes closed and she felt her heartbeat calm and her body settle, satisfied for the moment by the mere closeness of him.

“How about some hot cider to warm you up?” Gibbs whispered.

Although she felt as if her body was warm, a cold breeze rushed over them and she felt herself shiver. “Sounds perfect.” She sighed as his arm slipped from around her waist and he took her hand. When her eyes opened she met the steely blue gaze. She saw the emotion in his eyes, the depth of which took the air from her lungs and her heart skipped a beat.

Gibbs’ free hand caressed her cheek and the words fell from his lips in a breathless sigh. “I love you.” 

A gentle smile played across her lips. “I love you too.” She leaned in putting her hand on his chest. 

His lips touched hers, a soft kiss expressing the words he’d just spoken without trying to inflame the passion that now constantly sparked between them. When he looked at her she was smiling again. “Did Bill really want to see me?”

She nodded.

“Then let’s go get you some cider and watch them do a press.” Squeezing their joined hands, they started towards the back of the building.


End file.
